Jade In Khanate
by eisceire
Summary: Jade goes running into the Shadowrealm chasing talismans. She is fine. She is Shadowqueen. But she is not: she has been dethroned. One mortal girl against the whole of the Shadowrealm. Bets on the winner? Warning: char death inside.
1. Tracking The Talismans

**«» Tracking the Talismans «» **

**«» Jade in Khanate Chapter One «»**

**«» San Francisco «»**

**o0O¥O0o A/N o0O¥O0o**

_**Well and damn me; my simple original idea has bred like rabbits on viagra. Now tis gonna be two big fics and at least as many eps as a Chan Series. this fic here is gonna vid the head &amp; heart of Jade as much as her heroism.**_

_**We've seen Jade mature thru the series; now that is going onto superboost with her own Warrior Quest. In the JCA Comix 43 it says: Shugyo - hard training period with intention of pushing martial artist to limit. That is zactly what Jade is getting.**_

**o0O¥O0o**

Jade! Pulling her stunts, pulling the world down around everyone and somehow pulling it off … but not this time. Section Thirteen can rebuild the vault, yet again, but who can rebuild a life. Jackie slumps as his gaze travels over the ruins of the shattered and immolated vault; In all that wreckage there is nothing left of Jade, except the shredded remnants of her jacket and top. How had it come to this? With Shendu, Drago and the physical talismans banished to the Demon Netherworld, Jackie had imagined a quick and easy recovery of the talisman powers; wherever they had fled to this time. It would be so easy and safe now, with all of their past enemies either unpowered or imprisoned. Jackie sighs; he should have known Jade would find the worst answer to the problem: letting Tarakudo out of his mask and into a snake-form then getting herself banished to the Shadowrealm. The Shadowrealm! The one place Jade would find armies of enemies waiting to fall on her. Very Bad Day! Only hours ago it had been such a calm day: he and Tohru hiding in the shop attics, researching the talismans in peace from Uncle. All of it changed when Jade got in from school … already in trouble and about to get into so much more

« Jaaaaackie you come down from attic now. »

« Yes Uncle »

« One morrrre thing – Your Niece is back from school. »

« Yes Uncle. »

« One morrrre thing – You must make iced tea. »

« Yes Uncle. »

« One morrrre thing – tea is for Jade. »

« Yes Uncle. »

« One morrrre thing – Jade is injured. »

« Yes Uncle. … … …What! Why didn't you tell me! »

Jackie is down all the flights of stairs faster than a March Hare on Ecstasy to find Jade with a rare shiner of a black eye and grousing away at all the fuss.

« Jade! What did you do? »

« Tch! Me Jackie? I didn't do anything! So what if I couldn't book a tennis court »

The narrative gradually unfolds. From Maynard Munsen and Jimmy, Jade's dojo has grown and she is the one the group trusts to solve all their troubles; meaning she is the one who has to take back the tennis courts from three seniors who've turned it into their smoking court. Being herself she blazes in and lays down the law but the lads prefer the law of the jungle and its Jade as gets the raw end of it. Windmilling their strong arms they serve up a storm of tennis balls; battering and bruising Jade till she is beaten back.

« Owww, Owww, Owww; I'm not a tennis racquet. »

Luckily, being Jackie's niece, she knows how to turn defeat into triumph. Speeding backwards she slams into the tennis net; stretching it out into an impromptu catapult that sends her shooting at her enemies, like a human bullet. The first of her foes is down from a flying dropkick, before he even knows that Jade has turned the tide. Falling from the air she falls into a crouch and low sweeps the legs out from under the next guy in line. A handspring into a handstand smacks her shoes hard against the chin of the last guy and all that's left is for Maynard to drag and dump the deadbeats outside of the courts.

« See Jackie, totally not my fault. Hey, Uncle, enough of poking me! My bruises have got bruises. Tch! Uncle Jackie I don't get it! how could they do that to me? » Jade bounces her attention between her two uncles.

« Victory is in the first step of the wise and defeat is in the last step of the unwise. You must think of where you fight as well as how you fight. That was a good place for them and a bad place for you. Jade, you are small and fast, slippery and cunning; you must use that when you fight. … NO! What am I saying? No fighting! Fighting is bad. »

« Gotcha Jackie, Fighting is bad so I gotta be smart about it. »

« No! I did not mean … »

« SENSEI! I have it »

Tohru ramps down the stairs and silences them all in his excitement.

« The talisman powers are trapped in the Demon Netherworld »

« Aiyaaa! This is terrible news. We must do research to retrieve them. »

The three adults hasten off; leaving Jade free of a lecture and full of schemes.

**o0O¥O0o**


	2. Jade Tackling Tarakudo

**Tackling Tarakudo «» Jade in Khanate Chapter Two**

**o0O¥O0o**

Shouting a loudly quiet goodbye, Jade leaves her guardians to their dry and dusty research. She isn't going to tickle her nose with old books. Okay; so they lost the talisman powers after they banished Shendu the second time. But if they're with the demons then why not ask their own pet demon, Jade thinks, as she makes her way back to Section Thirteen. Thankfully, thanks to the reversal spell it has been restored to its undestructed self. How else could it be there in the future for Jade and for Future Jade. The vault still stands and serves the same purpose as ever (if but the only occupant now is the Mask of Tarakudo) and it is as secure as ever; meaning that Jade can breeze in just as she wants.

« Hi there Tarakudo, how're you hanging? Looking dusty. » Jade trails a hand over the mask as she engages with the Oni. « This vault is yawnsville; how'd you like me to score you a penthouse cell? Zip me a line on Shendu and the talismans; then Section 13 will be your best buds. »

Bad day; the mask ripples alive, Tarakudo's eyes flash, the vault darkens thunderously and shrinks in on Jade. All of the glass and all of the equipment explodes into a shard-storm of shrapnel. The electrics spark, crackle and short; the vault is a lightless void lit only by the glow of Tarakudo.

« Foolish, mortal, child! Our dimensions may touch but never mistake the noble Oni for the decadent, primitive brood of Chin. »

« Ooookay, don't lose your head, I shoulda known you'd be no help. Tch! I mean, you and all your shadowkhan got whumped by an archaeologist, a shopkeeper and a schoolkid. What kind of demon is that! »

« Oh! You deserve everything which is coming your way; right after Shendu and his family turn your world into hell. I hope they use the talisman powera in their hot little claws to give you some extra-special attention. »

« Psyche! So knew you'd tell me. »

« Bah! »

« Slap me with a tatt and I'll go and check it out. »

Even as Jade reaches out for the mask its glow turns to an incandescent effulgence.

« Oh! Toasty! »

« Foolish, mortal child. Did you think I had lost all my powers? You will never lay your hands on me. »

« Duh! Gonna catch me some rays then. Get a tan till Jackie gets in here to bust your ass. »

Jade shucks her top, wriggles and stretches like a cat in the sun; with her back to Tarakudo

« Do you imagine he will have any more fortune than you? I am the original hothead. »

Tarakudo boasts, as he burns with a white-hot heat that Jade can feel beating hard on her. That's when she replays her backslam into the tennis nets; a reverse dropkick that hammers her against the branding iron that is Tarakudo. Jade falls to the ground, to her knees, groaning with pain; but she has an impish grin of triumph on her face and in her voice.

« That's gonna leave a mark. Yeeees! Score! » Jade crows, pumping her fist; even as a swarm of leechkhan materialise to surround and swamp her. In mere moments they have melted away again and Jade is no more. She is gone with them.

Tarakudo glowers with a rictus grin that could be fury or could be triumph.

« Foolish, immortal child. Claim my realm and it will claim you — forever. »

**o0O¥O0o**


	3. Jade: Shadow Sliced

_**«» Jade: Shadow Sliced «»**_

_**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Three «»**_

_**«» Shadowrealm Heartlands «»**_

**o0O¥O0o**

Jade is far too far away to heed Tarakudo's imprecations; as the cool, dry forms of the leechkhan flow away from her like spilt ink. Here and there she is freckled with blood; where one or other of the leechkhan got overexcited and sank teeth in. There is even one tangled in her hair; with a growl she yanks it loose and her hair along with it. Free of all distractions Jade finally realises where she is.

The Shadowrealm!

The air is so sharp and hot that Jade feels as if she could reach out and burn herself on it. The blackened eye of a baleful sun glowers down from high in a sky like the hide of a rhinoceros. Noxious as a chimney fire, the reek of blood and sulphur slices her nostrils and sandpapers her throat. Beneath her feet the frangible surface of scoria and scree shifts, grits, grates and cracks.

The wide plateau stretches its wings to her left and right; this is the topmost tier of a rake of terraces that step their way down the slope of the live volcano Jade is standing on. Apart from where she stands the entire rank of terraces is nothing but rank rice paddyfields, mixed with bamboo and other plants; entirely less wholesome. These run to the bed of the valley below; where they merge with the dense, dark, stark and skeletal forest that rises there. To either hand the mountain range runs on in peak after peak of night incarnate.

Above all of these lesser bergs there rears the earthen dragon that lies under Jade. Its scabrous skin is cankered with scalding fumaroles and geysers that add the scents and tints of rotting fungi to the atmosphere. As far away as the distant forests Jade can see the dark yellow spray of the paddyfields' viscid, oily water flung into the air by subsurface irruptions.

Sleeted across the pools and the plateau are the dark and shimmering shades of volcanic glass; obsidian and tachylite traps for unwary feet. The scarlet sap of the volcano weaves across the ground around Jade, in searing streams, as the earth sheds tears of fire. These flow into the paddyfields, making them seethe, steam, churn and boil like the Morrigan hag's cauldron,

One edge of the eyrie that Jade is perched upon is cleft sheer in two by a tumultuous firefall, more deadly than any Niagara and only spanned by the slenderest of rocky ridges. In amongst the sickened rice plants and across the plateau are strewn broken boulders; the very teeth of a vanquished ogre. Iron and ash, nightshade and charcoal are the monotone tones of this nightmare land, with the brutal, black shadows of the stones sweeping over everything.

Blackness beyond blackness; for within the reaching shadows there stir the very shadowkhan in their own selves. Issuing out in their individual ways they ring her about; all the tribes that Jade knows and more corral and confront her. One specimen of each sets upon her.: talons and tentacles, fangs and fists, clubs and claws, spikes and shears, swords and shuriken, razors and rays are all raised against her.

« Uh. You guys got any talismans on your barbecue? »

The roninkhan hefts the katana held in gloved hands, as the crimson light from khanhell reflects off the watered edge of the blade like blood. The sword swings high over the shoulder as roninkhan sweeps it down upon the smallness of Jade. There is nowhere to turn and nothing she can do. Jackie's words echo through her skull: t_he greatest victory is the battle not fought._ If that is all she has then she will give it her all and not turn away — even if it is to be her final ending.

**o0O¥O0o**


	4. Jade Judged By Shadowkhan

_**«»**_** Jade: Judged by Shadowkhan **_** «»**_

_**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Four «»**_

_**«» Shadowrealm Heartlands «»**_

**o0O¥O0o**

Jade stands surrounded by shadowkhan. She stands against the shadow samurai; under the steel moon that is soon to set on her life. The sword swings down, even as the roninkhan swoops down. He is on his knees, his sword is offered up to her and her head is still on her shoulders; as he speaks in a lordly voice.

« Welcome to you Jade Khan. Kingsblight and sovereign. We offer to you respect and truce. »

« What! You're talking to me? How can you talk? Why don't want to score a touchdown with my head? »

Twin claws stretch out and seize Jade under the arms, as the mantiskhan holds her up to stare straight into her face. The creature speaks to her with all the merriment of a burbling brook; though this isn't as reassuring as it might be: given that Jade is still dangling in midair, from some very sharp and pointy claws.

« No, No, No! We are free. Our own lords after centuries, centuries. Thanks – To – You. »

The mantiskhan gleefully tosses Jade high into the air at the last three words. Startled, but true to Jackie's teachings, Jade tumbles herself about and then plunges right back into the waiting claws every time. It is actually fun.

« True, true, true! We can talk. We can do more, much more, in the Shadowrealm than in mortalands, »

« Mugen! Not so disrespectful. We owe Jade Khan clarity »

The speaker is the stranger khan. who talks in telegraphic bursts. This shadowkhan is shaped something like a fan with a distinct spine down the back that sweeps into a slender tail. To match the square head and stubby horns there are two stumpy legs. From the wide sleeves of the robe four tentacles extend on each arm, in place of hands. If found underwater this shape could easily be seen as a mantaray. The raykhan curls up a tentacle in a sharp gesture at each point given out.

« Tarakudo defeated our champions. Tarakudo became our overlord. Tarakudo shared the tribes among his generals. Tarakudo is defeated. Tarakudo is no lord. Shadowkhan have no lord now. »

« Yeh! I'm the boss! I'm the queen! Tarakudo join the Mona Lisa. » Jade jives in victory.

« No offence to you Jade Khan but to defeat Tarakudo is only to break our chains. We owe gratitude to you; nothing more. »

« Whoa! Back up there salami slicer; I was your queen. Tch! What about that, huh? »

« Our obedience was not to you directly. The title of queen came to you through the mark of Tarakudo. He is no longer lord to us or to you; so you are not his regent or our queen. »

« Stop. Stop, Stop; Ogami Dono. We must behave better than Tarakudo. »

Mugen, the mantiskhan pushes in front of the roninkhan. Roninkhan now has a name: Ogami and is clearly the chief of all the shadowkhan. Which is why Mugen stands with claws clasped and body bowed in respect; that is until turning attention elsewhere. Heavy claws rest upon Jade's shoulders while Mugen encourages her.

« Jade, Jade, Jade you don't need us. You can get the talisman chi for yourself. When you caged Tarakudo his spirit hid in Khanwood. There are very, very deadly things there. Tarakudo took some talisman chi in to be safe. You're the best, the best. You'll vanquish his spirit and the Khanwood too; without any of us. »

« Tch and Jackie won't let me do anything. — Oh! Hi there; have you got a fortune cookie for me too? »

Jade is speaking to the leechkhan that has begun to bound against her leg like the beggingest and cutest of terriers. She cannot resist the chirps and bounces for long and soon enough has her new pet perched on her shoulder. She knows this leechkhan; this is the one that was tangled in her hair and still holds onto that lost lock.

« Deference to you Jade Khan. You have won a follower. This is rare. These khan speak not and act not. It is to you to bestow a name if you will accept this gift. »

« Okay, Stormey, looks like it's me and you against Tarakudo and the bears in the wood. »

**o0O¥O0o**


	5. Jackie Against Section Thirteen

**Jackie Versus Thirteen «» Jade In Khanate Chapter Five**

**o0O¥O0o**

_**A/N The staff names come from the Shell Game episode. Don't think there was anywhere else that idented the Thirteen Team. If there was; pls share. Tyrone - up in chap twelve is pure invention.**_

The talisman powers surely have slipped into the Demon Netherworld along with the banished Shendu but there is still a slim hope that they haven't yet fallen into the hands of the Demonmages. Determined to retrieve the talisman powers before they fall into fell hands the Chan Clan are so deep into their research that a tornado couldn't disturb them; let be Jade's discreet departure. It takes a call from Captain Black to call them back to concrete concerns

« Jackie, there's a situation at Section Thirteen. I need your help. »

« Sorry I am in the middle of a situation here. I am sure that you can handle it. Thank you; but not now. »

« Jackie, your niece is in the middle of this situation. »

« Jade! Why am I not surprised. I will be there right away. »

Jackie is out of the door almost as soon as he has the phone put down. He doesn't get away without a few choice words from Uncle but the Chi Wizard and his apprentice are soon sunk back into their research. Jackie has no idea what kind of situation awaits him at Section Thirteen but it certainly isn't to have a tawny bear take a swipe at him as soon as he sticks his head out of the secret entrance.

The baffled bear shuffles into the phone booth and snuffles around wondering where is the two-legged snack he can smell. Jackie is plastered to the roof of the booth with no plan of being a bear's brunch. He planes himself over the bear's back and plans to curve through the clear air and make a clean getaway. Instead of that he finds himself flying through a flock of screeching, scratching … parrots.

Somehow he comes to a rolling standstill in the middle of the main section of Section Thirteen. However, he hardly has time to spit out the mouthful of feathers gagging him up before he is flying across the area at the impetus of an irate ostrich. The kick it has landed him with lands him in a skidding heap of a halt at the far side of the space; his chin ploughing a neat track all the way to the door where Captain Black is waiting. Jackie looks a long way up, groanfully, with his eyes and his head spinning.

« Ohhhh! Bad Day! This zoo is not nice. »

« You're looking at my staff, Jackie. The ostrich is my secretary. The bear used to be Kepler. Kevin has turned into a goat and Connor is an alligator. »

« There is an alligator in here! »

« Yes. We're dealing with the M word here. Let me show you. »

Captain Black shuts Jackie and himself into a monitor room. They fast forward through the routine part, where Jade breaks in, and jump to a blaze of energy that burns out every monitor and sensor the vault has. There are some jumpy shots of a shattered room and a lot more shots of an army of humans entering the vault and an Ark of animals exiting. Nowhere is there any sign of Jade; it's as if the powerburst has burnt her out of existence.

« It must be Tarakudo. I'll call Uncle; he will fix this and find Jade too, I hope. … Ahhh! Very Bad Day! »

The phone that Jackie reached for without really looking has turned out to be a long tongued lizard that is curling itself around his head and trying to taste every pore of his face.

« Sorry, very wrong number. »

Jackie peels off the lizard and lets it fall next to the supermoose that Jade has littering up the office. Next he, oh so carefully, picks up an actual phone and calls through to Rare Finds, It's becoming quite an urgent call as the bear outside sounds very determined to become the bear inside. The way that the door is straining and splintering this seems sure to happen all to soon. The phone call is made to the sound of imminent doom descending.

« Uncle it's me, Jackie. I'm at Section Thirteen and Tarakudo is turning everyone here into animals. Please tell me how is a mask doing that? No! Never mind that! How do we stop Tarakudo and turn them back. I do not want to be the first archaeologist inside a bear. »

« Mask not important. Spirit of Tarakudo lives in Shadowrealm. Rat must be there. »

« Uncle! How do I fight a spirit? »

« Uncle will devise protector spell »

« Thank you Uncle. »

« One morrre thing. You must not fight mask. You would look verrry foolish. »

« Yes Uncle. »

« One morrre thing. Uncle does not want hyena in family. »

« No Uncle. I have to go Uncle. Bye Bye. » Jackie bangs the phone down as the bear bursts in

« jackie is verrry rude. » Uncle tells the inert phone in his hand

Jackie doesn't care if he is rude or not; he just doesn't want to be sliced and diced by any boffin bear. He picks up Jade's supermoose and holds it up in front of the grizzly.

« Please Kepler; I know you do not want to hurt me really. You are a nice, soft, cuddly teddy. Like this. »

Bear claws strike out and slash out; slicing supermoose into a zillion shreds.

« Perhaps not! Bye Bye! »

A cloud of kapok fills the air and right through the middle of it runs a Jackie shaped hole. He and Captain Black are at the door and heading out fast. Outside of the room and back in the main hangar the two of them split up. The instant that the bear speeds after them, Captain Black gets hold of a firehose and pulls it taut; to trip the bear up and send him falling onto all fours.

All around them is mayhem and madness; the march of the animals. Cats chase mice. Mice scare elephants. Greyhounds race hares and panthers stalk them both. Squirrels and simians set up home in the ceiling. Goats and gazelles bound from desk to desk, snacking on secure files as they go. Parrots squawk while hawks harry them. But of them all the biggest bruiser and the biggest blight is the bulk of the bear.

Jackie leaps up and lands on the bear's back; to take hold of the small and sensitive ears; to steer the beast where Jackie wants. Ahead of them is the loading dock and a hanging net that looks very handy for fishing up a bear. It doesn't go hardly as well as Jackie wishes though; as the bear rears up onto his hind legs to send Jackie sprawling, dazed and flat on the floor. Sitting up Jackie rubs his head sorely and shouts out for some help.

« Jade! Drop the net! »

Nothing at all happens

« Oh! I forgot. Jade is being eaten by Oni. »

Jackie scrambles backwards on his back, as the bear bears down on him, then he does a backflip that brings him back to his feet. Captain Black calls out to him.

« Jackie be careful. I don't want Kepler hurt. »

« What about me? »

Seizing two flak jackets (from the backs of the chairs about him) Jackie begins to tease and taunt the bear. The creature comes for him, all claws and cutting paws, but Jackie meets every blow with the flak jackets that he holds in his right and in his left hands. Pass and counterpass passes between them as Jackie bears the brunt of the bear's attack and keeps himself safe but keeps backing up as well. He backs up all the way to the open door of one of the holding cells then swiftly sidesteps; so that Captain Black can jet the bear inside with the firehose. Slamming the cell door shut Jackie leans his back against it and lets out a huge sigh of relief.

That is the moment that Tohru and Uncle choose to make their entrance. Tohru holds up a scroll in each of his hands.

« Jackie; I have them. We have made an Oni taming spell and a bear taming spell. But where is the bear? »

« it does not matter. Please use your spell on Tarakudo before we are fighting dragons. »

The pair do just what they are asked. Standing at the very midpoint of Section Thirteen, Uncle and Tohru chant and incant; until the scroll flys from Tohru's hand and all the way to the vault. In an instant the scroll has stuck to Tarakudo and every essence of life leeches away; until he is truly nothing but a mask. In the very same moment every employee recovers humanity and in some most embarrassing of ways. A flock of parrots becomes a pack of plummeting people. An agile ape is all of a sudden all too human and assailed with vertigo. Amnesia or insanity is the only way to go from here.

Where to go from here is what worries Jackie, Captain Black, Tohru and Uncle. Should they seek out the talisman powers or strive to save Jade from the spirit of Tarakudo?

**o0O¥O0o**


	6. Jade Fights A Battle Royale

**Jade in a Battle Royal «» Jade in Khanate Chapter Six **

_**A\N Just don't ask but most the descriptions are from my own joyful experiences. Try clearing a dead birdy off the outside stairs when it has been there so long it has started to liquefy and you sure won't forget it. The leechkhan name isn't there just to be a pun; tis a play on a place-name of my hometown.**_

**o0O¥O0o**

What of Jade? Time is not quite the same in the Shadowrealmss; so (by the time Section Thirteen is turning zoo) she should be far across the crumbling causeways that cross the shadowkhan paddyfields. For all that, in all the wide expanse of those wild fields there is not a sign of her; except perhaps for where the edge of the path has purely broken away … as if under a foot that had been there but a moment before.

Her one ally, a lone leechkhan, anxiously peers down at a bubbling pool of widening ripples, where something surely has just fallen in. This effort is at last rewarded: by the sight of one small hand and then another stabbing up out of the turgid waters to slap onto the flat of the bank.

A dripping and bedraggled Jade hauls herself up and out from under the water; back to the uncertain safety of unsolid ground, She spits out a stream of thick, tawny, fluid that might as well be motor oil; making a face at the taste of it. Pulling weeds and reeds and the ruins of rice-plants off of her, Jade lets out to her shadowkhan companion, who chirrups in response.

« Sheesh! Hey Stormey! No wonder you guys are such grumps. Fancy living out here, in an oven and a chip fryer. Suckerific. Tch! How many dunkings is that now? It got my runners this time; reckon they won't make this dump smell any worse. »

Jade smooths her hair back into some kind of shape then presses the worst of the water out of her sodden and clinging clothes. Settling her ally back onto her shoulder, she lets Stormey snuggle into her neck with a contented cheep. Now she is as ready as she can be; before she covers the last of the ground that will carry her into the woods. Somewhere in there is the spiritform of Tarakudo and the first of the talisman chi that she has chased all the way to the demonworlds.

Jade had thought: _all these demonworlds; they're just one big, butt-ugly Melvinworld. I'll ace them, you can't hide from the Queen of the Shadowkhan and her stoking army. _Only the shadowkhan powers aren't so great inside of the demonworlds and they're not offering any aid to her anyway. Maybe she has deposed King Tarakudo but there sure isn't anything that wants her for Queen Jade. It has taken her all of a long and difficult day, full of danger and drownings just to get this far.

The trees tower high into the sky, their dung brown and drab olive trunks distorted with stubby spikes and deep scars. They are that wide around that Tohru and Hak Foo together could not encircle them; as they stand like the legs of a herd of brooding dinosaurs. Large, limp black leaves drape and drip down from the branches, like the ears of dead elephants. Bushes snarl and tangle between the trees, vicious with thorns and vivid with berries: some are round, globular, pulsing, palely pink and translucent like the deadliest of jellyfish; others form into clusters like drops of dried blood clinging to a deeply-slit wrist.

The ground slithers, slides, squelches and sinks underfoot with eons of dead, dying and decaying vegetation formed into geological layers that look like nothing except the layers of discarded meat on a butchershop floor. Red as minced beef, black as potato blight, ashen as a dessicated rat, yellow as earwax; all of these colours cover the rustlings, rousings and rovings of a score of small lives living out there brief time beneath the leaf mould and forest litter.

Thrusting up from all of this are rings, strings and knots of fungi: squamous, spindly, squat, splayed and every shape between. They stand out like knobs of bone in hues of old ivory, scar purple, cyanosis blue and the sheen of cicatrice. Delicate, dainty and deadly as these are they add to the poison-curtain aroma of rotten potatoes and half-rotted road kill. A smell both sickening and oversweet that takes you by the throat and throttles you till you have to turn away or else puke out your guts as tears water your eyes and your stomache heaves.

Jade knows this all too well; every drop of rancid rice paddy that she has swallowed today has just left her in a stomach clenching, abdomen aching expulsion. Straightening up, from where she has been leant over, bent over and leaning aginst a tree, she looks about; to wonder and to ponder.

_There's as much chance of finding an onion as an Oni in there; how'm I going to find Tarakudo in that flower shop? I'll need to be a bloodhound and … hey maybe I can be a bloodhound or as good as. Yeees! Look at Stormey sniffing down Tarakudo or some scent anyway. That's as good a path as any I guess._

Jade follows along behind Stormey, as the leechkhan snuffles along the ground, sniffing out their way through the forest. Even as Jade enters the woods in one world, Jackie is entering section Thirteen in another; exactly while he fights bears and beasts in one place, she has an Oni to face in this realm. Jade soon knows she has the right direction, when a windstorm blows up out of nowhere to whirl all of the woodwrack at her. Flowers, fungi, leaves, twigs, thorns, bushes and branches: all windmill at her in a pure storm; battering and bruising Jade till she is beaten back.

« Jungle tennis balls! Suckerific. »

Jade gets out the words, even as she gets blown back to bruise her back against a tree and Stormey is blasted into her arms. Hugging her little helper close to her chest, Jade just can't do a thing about the assault against her; while she does her best to shelter Stormey from blast of the barrage. When the windstorm finally abates Jade tucks Stormey in safe under the hair at the back of her neck; before she raises a bleeding face to see what she faces, It is Tarakudo in his humanform and packing powers. Not that he needs any powers to tackle a tired and tried Jade. In an instant he has torn her away from her treetrunk support: to send her speeding and soaring into the nearest of the thornbushes; ones that easily tear her to ribbons.

« Yeoww. Khanese Acupuncture. Looks like Tarakudo is gonna rat me out too. »

Jade has seen Tarakudo about to take advantage of her being trapped; as he takes aim at her with the rat chi. In this world that is a churning ball of chi energy inside of a clear, glassy marble. She does her best to duck but is too tangled to have much of a chance; underneath her hair Stormey is chirruping out in alarm. All the shades of a rat swirl inside of the crystal with a hint of eyes too, as Tarakudo calls out _Dung Beetle _then waits, and waits, and finally snarls.

« Alright, maybe these aren't good for anything except paperweights in the Shadowrealms. That isn't going to make one bit of a difference. I am taking back my crown; right out from your corpse. »

« Tch! You wish. I'm opening a can of whump ass on you; as soon as I'm out of here »

« Would that be extra-crispy or deep-fried? »

Tarakudo enquires; as he breathes out flame; making the bushes around Jade burst into an instant conflagration. She jerks and jives to keep away from the leaping tongues of flame that are trying to roast her alive. There simply is no way to go, as she feels her skin begin to sweat and scorch, blister and burn, the thicket is thick on every side without the least whisper of a way out, whichever way she turns. That is not the answer though and she has to do what she does best: to think outside of the box or outside of the bush; if she can't go out can she go up?

She can; there is a branch high overhead but well within reach, with the rocket fuel of an instant roasting ramping her up. Once in the canopy Jade chooses to stay there and fly across the treeway highway rather than fall back into flames. The fly soon turns into a flee, as the flames follow fiercely after her. Tarakudo doesn't much care if her shoots her down or shoots her dead; just so long as one or another of his bolts of flames fricasees the girl. Jade doesn't have the time for even that much thought; as she runs, leaps, swings and soars through the high forest with all the speed she can muster. She drops down, swoops up, switches left, swerves right; rallying all her reserves to keep out of the firing line but her heart hammers, her muscles ache and sweat slicks her grip to slow her down and spoil her skill … until she becomes an easy kill.

One split second too long standing on a branch and Tarakudo's fire has split it out from under Jade; to send her spinning down, smashing and smacking through the branches till she slams into the ground. Stormey goes flying off in one direction as Jade groans and lies prone for a long moment before making her muggy way back onto to her feet Glad to be able to stand, even as Tarakudo stalks towards her, Jade gets that she never should have set foot in this forest: she's finally gone beyond her limits, taken that one step too far. Hazy, crazy thoughts of her last days and hours tumble through her head like the signs in a slot machine … to come up jackpot and Jackie.

_Take a step? Yeh! Jackie said it. — Victory is in the First Step — How about a low step!_

Jade makes a sliding tackle straight towards the advancing Tarakudo; with one foot stretched in front of the other and hands raised, wushu style. She skids directly under his nose and right through a ring of toadstools; raising a fume of fungi spores that strike his supersensitive nostrils like a smoke grenade. Tarakudo, in human form, doubles over fit to sneeze his head off and Jade takes the chance to grab his goatee, to yank his head down and herself to her feet.

_Now a high step!_

Jade actually jumps onto the head of Tarakudo to boost herself up into the branch above his head. Her two hands take hold and she spins right around the branch; reversing her grip midway just as gymnasts do. This puts her face forward and heels forward; she bunches herself up into a ball so that, when she meets the back-of-the-head of the rising Tarakudo, he meets the full-force of her swing and of a two-footed kick too. From all of her training with Jackie her feet are far harder than the runners that she lost; which Tarakudo learns to his cost, as the ground and the world whirl away from him.

Tarakudo's consciousness is fast fading. When Jade drops down in front of him, to face him out, he can only slur out two words; before fading out. _Wretched Snake. _Two talisman chi fall from his hand and roll away. Then Tarakudo does indeed fade out; till there is not a physical trace of him left in the forest.

**o0O¥O0o**


	7. Jackie And Jade Lose Out

**Jackie and Jade Lose Out «» Jade in Khanate Chapter Seven ~**

_**A/N The Chi Chant is included by request of Nate the Lycan. **_

_**It comes courtesy of the JCA Comicbook number eighty.**_

**o0O¥O0o**

Section Thirteen is secure from the sorcery of being a zoo but it'll take some work yet for Captain Black to get it back to something like normal. In the meanwhile: Jackie, Uncle and Tohru are rooting in the ruins of the vault for any signs of Jade. The Mask of Tarakudo still hangs on the wall, suspiciously unaffected, and making Jackie feel as it it is watching him every time he turns his back. He takes to turning around suddenly and swiftly in hopes of catching it out but is soon distracted by a shout.

« Aiyaaa! This Jade's jacket. »

Uncle has unearthed an orange rag half-buried by rubble and almost ruined but yet recognisable as the young girl's usual top. Tohru mates it with the shreds of white clothing he has dug out. Jackie is almost carried away by anxiety and guilt but still shoots one more look at the mask. He finds it with eyes open and staring at him. It even winks, when it spots that it has been spotted. Jackie boggles, flaps, taps Uncle on the shoulder and points at the mask with both hands.

« Uncle! Tarakudo is alive! »

« IMposssible. Uncle did magic. Arre you saying Uncle's magic does not work? »

« No. Of course not. But I saw it move. It looked at me! »

« Did grizzly bear hit Jackie on head? This is statue. It does not move. I will show you. You see! »

Uncle has groused his way over to the mask of Tarakudo; where he has tapped it hard on the forehead, to show that it is nothing but solid ceramics.

« Aiyaaa! »

Uncle stumbles back as the Mask of Tarakudo comes alive and shoots out into the room; trailing a long and serpentine body behind it. The chi wizard will be of no help for a while; with his confidence so much mangled after his magicless spell.

Back upon the wall, the original mask is as inert as ever. This helps not at all; for the oniwyrm has just bulldozed a way over Tohru; sending that giant out for the count. For once Jackie doesn't care one whit for his ambushed associates. He grabs up the jacket that Uncle has dropped and storms up to the serpent that is lofting and coiling in one corner of the vault.

« What have you done with Jade? » Jackie demands; hot against Tarakudo's cool response.

« Jade? Jade? Do I know anyone with that name? No! I don't believe I do. »

« The girl wearing this jacket! »

« Ah. You mean The Queen of The Shadowkhan. Yes. She did come and visit me. She insisted on touring the demonworlds. Something to do with finding some lost talisman chi, I believe. So foolish. »

« No. You cannot have her. You must give her back. Tell Jade that she has to come home. »

« Sorry but those aren't the rules. I lost my crown when your Jade defeated me and she hasn't won it for herself yet. Nobody rules the Shadowkhan now and your Jade has walked right into their arms.

« Bad Day. Very Bad Day! »

« Ah. You must not worry, Jackie Chan. I will be King again and then I will send your Jade back to you. One incarnadined piece at a time. So move aside there; I've places to be and magic to do. »

Without another word (nor any warning at all) the oniwyrm bashes Jackie away and beelines for the doorway. Tarakudo takes blasts all along the side of his sinuous body as he undulates away. Uncle and a recovered Tohru are vengefully fast in aiming incantations at the oniwyrm.

_Yu Mo Gue Guai Fi Di Ziao_

These do nothing at all to injure or impede Tarakudo; no more than do the reinforcements that they hear outside the vault. It is assistance, all to little and all to late, in the form of Captain Black.

« Bogie in the vaults. Bring it down; team. »

The rattle and roar of armaments dies away as Tarakudo gets clean away. The sound of the squads sprinting in pursuit also dies away, as Captain Black comes into the vault.

« What was that thing? Hocus Pocus won't stop it. Leave that to my crews. »

« Is not hocus pocus. Is most powerful Uncle magic. Ancient Cantonese chant saying _Evil Demons and Malevolent Spirits Begone_. »

« But it did not work Uncle (Jackie wins a glare) - uhhh perhaps you did not have the right spell ingredients. »

« Ingredients right. Spell right. Everything right for Tarakudo Oni. »

« Sensei. Perhaps it was not an Oni. What if Tarakudo used the rat on himself. »

« Yes! Then he would be a snake not a demon and I could catch him. But he is gone. »

« Tarakudo could not use rat power. I made protector spell. No Oni here. »

« But there are in the Demon Netherworld. You said so, sensei. »

« Aiyaaa! Tohru you are right. Tarakudo spirit used rat chi from Shadowrealm. »

« Then where is Jade? What has happened to her? She was in the Shadowrealm. Oh! Bad Day! »

« Don't you worry Jackie. We'll find Jade. Nobody is getting out of here. I've got Section Thirteen locked down solid. »

« Then excuse me; I must go and talk to a snake. » Jackie is out of the vault as a blur of blue lightning.

It isn't hard for Jackie to find Tarakudo, he just has to go the opposite way to all the folk fleeing away and finds Tarakudo twisting, turning and thrashing his way through the core of Section Thirteen. Trapped by tight doors and tighter spells, Tarakudo turns at bay and raises his snakey hood to shoot out a blast that Jackie barely dives aside from.

Then the Chan has to keep on with his rolls, dives and dodges, as Tarakudo dogs him with blast upon blast. Potted plants, desks, bins, chairs, cabinets and more all make brief bulwarks; before they're blasted apart. The water cooler takes a direct hit; disintegrating into nothing more than an indoor raincloud, pouring down on Jackie.

As the archaeologist hurls himself away from his exploded refuge, the oniwyrm comes hurtling after him; to skid and spin in the waterslick. Jackie is quick to take advantage and snatch a rodeo ride on Tarakudo's head. The oniwyrm flings itself into a frenzy to give Jackie the roughest roller-coaster ride the world has ever seen; Jackie flails and flops about like a drunken monkey.

« Baaad Day. Verrry Baaad Day. »

Jackie won't be shaken of by any of that, though, and it seems he has surely found a safe refuge. That is till Kepler opens the door of his lab to see what all the din is about. Tarakudo takes a nosedive and Jackie has to fall flat to the oniwyrm's back before being scraped off by the lintel of the doorway. For all that, Jackie still falls from the oniwyrm's back and only a backflip lets him land on his feet.

Even then he finds himself square in front of Tarakudo, who is just settling his hood to give Jackie the shock of his life. In the split second before he is sizzled, Jackie seizes up a mirror from amongst Kepler's kit and bounces the beam right back at the oniwyrm. Kepler takes full advantage of Tarakudo being totalled and shoos the stunned and shattered serpent straight down into the drains.

« There you are Jackie. I've got rid of the last of zoo invaders for you. »

« Nooo! I needed to talk to him. »

« Err! Yes Jackie. Certainly Jackie. Why don't you go and see Captain Black. »

That is all Jackie can do and he goes back to the vault as frustrated as he has ever been; to have lost his niece and to have had the only lead to her flushed away in the sewers. All this is forgotten at the strange sight that greets him at the vault. Uncle, Captain Black and Tohru are tiptoeing through the wreckage and rubble that forms the floor. Weapons both magical and mundane are drawn and aimed and all of it at something that is utterly invisible to him.

As Jackie stands in the doorway his shadow streams out before him; making everybody in the vault look round at him in shock and panic. They are all waving and gesturing at him wildly; wanting him to do something, to move somewhere but what, where and why? The answer to all these questions comes bounding up to him; a shadow-eating leechkhan running along the length of his shadow. And his shadow is untouched!

The other three gather round him in a half-circle so that the leechkhan has him in front and them behind, but this doesn't seem to bother the creature at all. The leechkhan makes a deep bow to Jackie himself and makes it clear that Jackie is the one that is wanted. Why this is so all too soon becomes clear The leechkhan disgorges what seems to be a small sphere of swirling energy but it can soon be seen that it is something else entirely. This is one single talisman; the rat wrapped in a lock of hair. That must be all of the errand done, for then the leechkhan melts into nothing inside of jackie's shadow.

« Aiyaaa! Rat talisman. Shadowrealm sends gift. Not good. »

« No Sensei. That is Hair of Jade. She is sending us a message: she is in the Shadowrealm. »

« Looks like she's already buddy-buddy with those shadowkhan too. »

« So how do we get her back? »

Nobody has an answer to Jackie's question.

« _Sigh. _I will sleep in Jade's room tonight. In case she comes back. Uncle, please tell me something good about the talismans by tomorrow. »

« Talismans not important »

« One morrre thing. We begin new research tomorrow. »

« One morre thing. Tohru has verrry much research to do on Jap-an-esse shadowkhan. Do not disturb. »

« No Uncle. We won't. We will see you tomorrow. »

« One morrre thing. Tohru sleeping in Jackie's bed »

« No Uncle. He is too … too … He would be better going home with you. »

« One morrre thing. Tohru not going home. Uncle not going home. Uncle must make strong magic now. Magic must guard Section Thirteen. No Oni. No Snakes.»

« And no talismans. This baby is going right in Section Thirteen's safe. I want all twelve ready to go back in the vault as soon as it's repaired. »

« Talismans not important! Jade is! »

**o0O¥O0o**_** KHANWOOD **_**o0O¥O0o**

« Boy, Stormey; when I knock 'em out; I really knock 'em out. Tarakudo is totally gone. We're the team. Shadow Champ and Shadow Chomp. Whoo; we're the bomb. Oni're gonna cry. »

Jade is victory dancing in the Khanwood of the Shadowrealm; just after beating Tarakudo so bad he's slipped into a snakeskin back on earth (not that she knows anything of what is happening back home). Best of all, Tarakudo has left behind two talisman chi for her to collect; she saw them roll over by Stormey, or she thought she did. Jade can only find one talisman chi, where she was expecting a twinset, but it doesn't matter at all; as it is a good one - the rat.

« Jackie will be stoked when he sees me with this … orrrr maybe not. »

Jade has just caught sight and scent of herself; she's the Missing Girl dragged from the lake after a week gone.

« I'm gonna be so grounded. Jackie'll never let me come back here. Maybe I can post it? Nope. I'll Fed Ex it. Stormey, come here, you're gonna play posty for me. This is for Uncle Jackie; chunky guy; wears yawnsville; looks like me. Don't give it to anybody else; okay. »

Jade wraps the delivery inside of a lock of hair yanked from her head; hoping it'll let her folks know where she is and that she is okay. If Stormey keeps getting her hair like this she is so gonna be bald by the time she gets home. Stormey bunches up as if to leap out of the Shadowrealm but Jade yells out one last errand before the leechkhan is gone.

« Tch! Scrape me up a burger over there. Whomping oni is hard on the diet. »

She sure has been heard but not so much understood; so she sees: when Stormey slips back a little time later with a black-bin-liner, carried off from some kitchen or other. There is no help for it and Jade makes the best of it, as she swallows the worst of it. Stormey seems quite happy to share whatever she sends that way; even the empty cups and wrappers that tell Jade her haul has come from the Section Thirteen Canteen. Companionable and pleasant as the impromptu picnic is; Jade can't put off her duties for long. She has a mountain to climb, a mountain to return to and an army of shadowkhan to win over to her hunt for the talisman chi.

**o0O¥O0o**


	8. Jade Meets A Bad Future

**Bad Future For Jade «» Jade in Khanate Chapter Eight**

**o0O¥O0o **_**Khanwood No Good**_** o0O¥O0o **

**o0O¥O0o **

Just before heading back to the mountains, Jade decides to beat the bushes one last time for the other talisman chi that she is sure she saw slip away from Tarakudo. Bending low she just misses a blow from a muscular, mauve and fin-like arm. Jade leaps away and upright in one motion; to see the last thing she'd ever have expected to see here and now.

« Yeoww! What was that? An Isokhan here! Is Jimmy here too; or Jade? Better not be Iso; I'm hot to whump. »

From around the first of the robed Isokhan, another two emerge from the bushes to flank it, then two more. This takes the total to the five; the first one in the middle and two on either side.

« Yikes; it's a small army. Bet JImmy went good and made 'em to help me. Yeah, Jade would tell him; she'd remember this. She's me, I'm her, we're us. Jaaaade. Jimmmmy. Come on Ouch! »

The ouch is as the lead Isokhan has stepped ahead to rap Jade a hard one over the head. She steps back just as smartly, rubbing the sore spot ruefully as she grouses.

« Jaaaade! Jimmmmy! Quit hiding on me; your pets are playing up. Frisky here is missing his chew toy. Yeoww! Guess he found one. Tch, all the shadowkhan must get banished here. And I don't think these are the chatty kind »

While Jade was calling out, with her hands cupping her mouth, the lead Isokhan had swung a one and a two plumb into her stomach. The fivester steps back: letting the other four surround Jade f,or just a moment, before they all rush in and crush in; to mash her into the filling of a solid shadowkhan sandwich. Now all five of them are crowding on Jade, clubbing her and clawing her; as more and more pour from the bushes. They are not the smartest, slickest or swiftest of shadowkhan, which is all that gives Jade a chance. She ducks, twists, dives, slides, leaps, spins, flips and dodges with all of the skill and energy that she has. It is enough to give Jade an edge on the Isokhan, to put her ahead of them and keep her out of the worst of it … barely.

Jade is still taking the blows, aching in body, throbbing along arms, ringing in the head and tiring dangerously fast. Stormey chitters aggressively against the Isokhan, from the crook of her shoulder, and all of a sudden; Jade gets an idea. A quickly whispered aside to the leechkhan, even while she keeps on evading, and then she has thrown Stormey high over the heads of the Isokhan. From behind of them the leechkhan acts as bellicose as can be and, sure enough, half of the dunce Isokhan go chasing after. This still leaves half going after Jade and she sprints away as fast as she can; in the opposite direction to the leechkhan. The Jade and Stormey Team both take wide circles as they keep on being chased and these wide circles lead them around until they are in fact running straight at each other. In the the last possible instant, Jade and Stormey, drop low and dive to the side; the Isokhan are the victims of their own momentum and come together in a momentous crash.

« Scorrre! Whumpage times ten. We showed 'em who's boss. »

Jade high fives Stormey, meaning the critter leaping up against her palm, then the pair take their way out of the forest. Nearly at the edge, Jade nearly gets her head taken off; as one last of the Isokhan ambushes her. This one has the image of Iso's mask emblazoned on the chest and has got Jade so dazed that she is easily pushed up against a tree; where she is well trapped and taking a pummelling. Throwing herself into the punishing blows Jade manages to get hold of one meaty forearm and flip herself up to hammer her heels against her enemy's head. This is enough to set the Isokhan reeling and Jade continues to somersault on: till she has flown over her foe's head; to land on the ground at back and bash the Isokhan hard against the very tree she was just trapped against.

Jade takes to her heels, hoping to make the open ground of the paddyfields before the Isokhan stops staggering and sets off after her. She wins that race but loses something far more important, as Stormey vaults off of her shoulder and runs away off back down the path to the hills. Jade has no time to fret over this desertion, as the Isokhan is fast approaching the fringe of the wood and her battle is about to begin all over again. That is when Stormey surprises her, by speeding up with her lost runners; the ones that she'd thought lost forever in the rice soup.

« Gee! Thanks Stormey but the Jadester doesn't run from any bullies. Buuut how about I make a present of these? »

Jade quickly ties the laces of the two runners together. Spinning them rapidly over her head she lets go all of a sudden and is well pleased to see her improvised bolas wrap around the neck of the Isokhan. The creature collapses back into the forest in a choking heap and Jade decides that it is well enough time for her to make her way; though not without one last word.

« And stay there; creepy! »

So far, entirely unknown to any, the battles of Jackie and Jade have woven about each other. He had to tame the Kepler Bear, while she was taming the Tarakudo Spirit. Jade's victory cast Tarakudo into the earthly world; in the cast of a serpent. By the time that Jackie had taken off after the oniwyrm; Jade was into her war with the Isokhan. Now, at pillowtime in Section Thirteen, Jade is making one more daylong trek: back across the paddyfields, from Khanwood, towards the mountains and the day is at last waning. The lower hills, that were dark in the daytime, have become pitchy holes in the evening sky. By the time Jade has come to the foothills, night has nearly come to the Shadowrealms: so she has to find her way up the path and up the slopes in the gloaming.

Jade ends up coming up into the central flatland of the plateau by a slightly different route. Passing by some low and pitted boulders, Jade gets an abrupt surprise: when Stormey takes a sudden leap off of her shoulder; to take a dip in the dips in the rocks. Jade dips her own finger in the crystal pools and finds them salty. They're just the kind of saltbank that Scruffy would enjoy; it seems pets aren't so different, whatever world you're in.

**o0O¥O0o **_**Lavapeak Arena**_** o0O¥O0o **

The world Jade is in takes a startling turn for the menacing; as she emerges from the saltbanks and onto the main flat. The gathering of the shadowkhan is only what she was expecting; but what else she sees sends Jade right into a fighting stance. In the malevolent light of the lave flows the forms of the shadowkhan twist and loom. The cloaks on their back writhe like hanged felons on the gibbet and, on each cloak, is the emblazon of an Oni mask. It seem the shadowkhan have fallen under their old masters and Jade is going to fall beneath them; but she won't go easily.

« Recognition and gratitude to you Jade Khan; kingsblight to both body and spirit. Tarakudo is twice vanquished at your hand. »

« Big deal; if you're gonna go running right back to your old bosses. »

Ogami stiffens, affrontedly, as Mugen breaks out into laughter. It is the mantiskhan that explains.

« Jade, Jade, Jade if we served the Oni you'd never, never have made it up the mountain. These are our symbols; the Oni Generals took them from us, like everything else. When you shamed Tarakudo We - Got - Them - Back »

Mugen is as ebullient as ever and the mantis claws have Jade flying high into the darkling sky, at those final words. Jade pitches in gleefully to make every flight as high and wild as it can be. That is till the raykhan quells them down. The tentacles curl in emphasis of the words.

« Mugen! She is Jade of the Khanwood. We are in her debt. Jade Khan is not a bagatelle. »

« Bagatelle's cool. How come I got boosted up from roadsweeper. What debt? Who changed the rules? »

Mugen had dumped Jade promptly down to the ground; at the raykhan's behest. The intent had been to damp their affairs down; but with Jade that is never going to be. She dashes from one to the other of the shadowkhan; even as she dashes out her excited questions. Ogami Khan answers her.

« No formal challenge has come to you. Therefore no crown can come to you and yet your victories have elevated you. It gladdens us to know the Usurper Tarakudo and the Interloper Kanikaba are equally overwhelmed. To imprison the tribe of Kanikaba is to indebt us to you. »

« Whoa there! Who do you think I am; Miss Hardman giving out detention? Tch! Is Kanikaba that freakazoid who got the shoe necklace? How do you know all this anyway? »

A new voice enters the conversation; a pleasant, singing voice and it comes from atop Jade's head. The batkhan glides down and approaches Jade elegantly; this one would fit right into Beetlebrow's troupe.

« Understand, Jade: the deed unseen speaks the loudest. Yes; I saw it all. Indeed, Kanikaba is the warlord of those robed khan who've been a sudden pestilence to us; and no it wasn't any formal duel that you fought, however they must accept your rule in this realm. Consider, Jade: you won out against both the tribe and theit warlord; that isn't nothing. The mere words "stay there creepy" are a command they must obey.

The batkhan's voice takes on the exact tone of Jade's voice; as the words that Jade had thrown at Kanikaba are repeated back to the girl … who is in shock at how much power seems to have crept into her pocket. All the while of talking the batkhan has been running hands over Jade's face and battered body; to produce yet another shocking surprise.

« Understand, Jade: you've even undone the mark of Tarakudo. »

« Awww! What! There's nothing on my back? Thought I'd finally gotten a tatt. Rats! »

« Jade Khan; do not let that what Hatsuné says be a concern to you. We will extend to you a path to our loyalty and hence to our aid to you; in your quest for the talisman chi. With this banner you may enter the lists and earn our loyalty by right of combat and conquest. »

The squidkhan undulates forward with an oblong of golden silk draped across arms and offered to Jade; two black, pierced and flower-like shuriken-stars are placed on either hand of the sigil for _Jade. _

« Wow! Cool cloth! Thanks heaps. So all I gotta do is knock you guys flat and you'll help me? »

« I have said so! »

Ogami, Samurai Khan and Warlord gestures imperiously. All of the range of darkened hills shivers, as a ripple runs across them, and a myriad of eyes of shadowkhan open; to fix Jade with the attention of an entire countryside of shadowkhan

« Ooookay! This is gonna take me a few minutes. You might wanna put the ice-cream back in the fridge. »

Mantis Mugen and Bat Hatsuné both break out into laughter, the one deep and the other light but the two blending well.

« No, No, No Jade, only us; the chiefs. You've got to duel us one by one. If you lose you have to give up your banner. If you win; you get your opponent's banner. That's how we keep score. »

« Mugen! Hatsuné! There is another score. Jade Khan - Tarakudo cannot mark you. You have defeated him. You have your own mark. The glyph is your own face. You have a banner. You have a combat. You have left humanity. »

« Enough! We shall retire for this night. Good Fortune for the morrow to you Jade Khan. »

After the last lecture of the raykhan and the dismissal by Ogami, Jade is left alone on the plateau. She is sore, raw, worn, torn and wanting rest more than anything and yet she knows she cannot have it … not yet. The first injury she's taken, that black eye, back at school won't let her forget: Maynard Munsen and all of her dojo; trusting her to preach n teach what Uncle Jackie does. How'd she ever face 'em if she ditched the forms n exercises when she needs 'em most; just for a few zeds. Nope; she owes 'em more respect than that.

Jade forces her aching unwilling body into the zone and soon enough has eased up and limbered up; losing herself in the Kung Fu, even here, even when Mugen and Hatsuné join her. They seem interested and enquiring; Jade easily explains not just what she is doing but the why of it too. It isn't so different to back at school; at least not until the two shadowkhan add in some exercises all their own. They're not feeling that Jade is falling well enough or soft enough; so they set it up for Hatsuné to take Jade up to dizzying heights and then let her drop. To begin with Mugen is below to catch her or to guide her but it isn't so long before Jade is flying free; taking the drop and breaking the fall all by her ownself.

In the end of it all they fall back onto the familiar routines that Jade knows; finding friendship in action. Jade's new banner still stands and gusts in the volcanic harmattan, as the vermillion glow of the lava flow paints her and her companions in bloodstained shadows. The Vampire Khan clings close to Jade's shoulder while Bat Khan and Mantis Khan mirror her movements to left and to right. Under a dull pewter moon: _The breath flows through the fingertips and down to the toes._

**o0O¥O0o**


	9. Jackie Faces Troubles

**Jackie Facing Trouble «» Jade in Khanate Chapter Nine**

**o0O¥O0o **_**Foursome Prison**_** o0O¥O0o **

Finn, Ratso and Chow have sunk along with Shendu; they're back in prison and back in the kitchens. Finn dully brushes the grime around the floor, managing to make it grubbier than before. Ratso plods from tables to hatch and back with the dirties. Chow sponges down tables and benches with a bucket of almost black water. They're far from happy; Ratso leads the grumbling chorus.

« How come we've got to do all the dirty work. »

« Yeh. Last time we were here it was us doing the counter. »

« Pin it on the Chans. They got Mr Haute Cuisine over there banged up with us. »

Finn gestures to the servery, where Carl Nivore's ex-chef leans and watches their work.

« Aww look at this. He's gonna be my little pet pal. »

This from Ratso as he spots a small snake squirming across the floor. He goes to it grab it and, as ever, it all goes wrong for him. The snake swells to super-size; to oniwyrm size, to Tarakudo size.

« Why hello there. Isn't it time you took a vacation and looked up your old chums, the Chans? »

« Aww no. I like it here. It's cosy. »

« Yeah we got regular tee vee, meals three times a day and No Chans. »

« Sorry boss; no can do. We don't work with animals. Right boys? »

Finn wins a chorus of eager and anxious nods from his cronies; while the chef watches curiously.

« I see. You would rather be in the soup. »

Tarakudo has kept ahold of his powers even as an oniwyrm. His snakey hood extends; then the soup tureens take a flight, to hover over the unlucky Enforcers.

« Okay boss you got us. »

« Yeh I don't want to be croutons. »

« What's a crouton? »

« Dunno. Just sounded good. »

Having no more time or patience for the Enforcers' efforts. Tarakudo blasts a hole pure through the walls to the outside. With a flick of his tail the Enforcers become airborne escapees. It is just at that moment when Tarakudo's plans take a turn: with a bonus, extra-special, lunchtime offer; as the chef calls out and jumps out from behind the counter.

« Take me. I've got a score with the Chans. »

Anybody with a grudge against the Chans is good in Tarakudo's book so it is Enforcers Four that flit over the horizon and out of all knowledge … for a while.

_**o0O¥O0o Rare Finds o0O¥O0o **_

With Jade gone away the Chan Clan have come closer than they've been for many a while. Uncle, Jackie and Tohru have all shared a night in Section Thirteen; in futile hope that Jade will simply reappear from the Shadowrealms. Tohru takes Jackie's bed; Uncle takes Jade's bed and Jackie takes the floor, a blanket and a supermoose for a pillow. Not a one of them dreams of the events that are unfolding while they dream the night away.

Uncle's shop is the most likely place to find clues to Jade; so that is the first place they make for in the morning. No sooner are they returned to Rare Finds than Tohru and Uncle begin to search the shelves for books bearing on the Shadowrealm. For himself, Jackie bears right past them and into Uncle's study; he wants a sight of the snap that Jade gave to Uncle as a birthday present. Their lives have been too fast and furious for many family snaps and so this is the most comfort he can hope to get; till he gets Jade back. Jackie is none so in luck though.

« Aaaaah! Bad Day! Bad Day! »

Jackie drops the photo to the floor; as Uncle and Tohru rush in, to see what the storm is about. It is Uncle who picks up the picture and his face becomes a picture of shock.

« Aiyaaa! Evil magic in Uncle's shop. Phot-o-graaaph of possessed Jade is bad chi. »

Uncle fumbles the photo as if it has just become a red-hot-coal; Tohru just about manages to catch the picture and place it safely on the desk. The three of them cluster around; to get a good look at what the picture has become. Tohru points to the top-right-corner, which is still in Jade's trademark orange but is now …

« A Warlord Banner. I learnt about them, at school in Japan. Every warlord had one; they would give it to their overlord to show their loyalty. Whoever had the banner ruled the tribe. [Tohru's speech slows.] Now Jade has got one; this is not good. »

« Apprentice not say most important thing. Banner must be for shadowkhan tribes. »

« One morrre thing! Jackie! You make Uncle's tea in future. Your niece is shadowkhan. Uncle think she make verrrry bad tea » Uncle leans over to peer at Jade's image; then points.

« One morrrre thing. Jade has new friend. » It is the leechkhan; snug and cute on Jade's shoulder.

« Look Uncle! She is not turning blue; if we get the banners first she won't be the Shadowqueen and we can get her back. »

« Aiyaaa! Jackie forget most important thing. » Uncle bestows a two-finger flick for emphasis.

« Sensei is right. Tarakudo must be after the banners as well. When Jade put the mask on him he must have lost his crown. He said that nobody ruled the shadowkhan now. If he gets the banners then he will be shadowkhan king again. »

« And Jade wants to be Shadowqueen. Very Bad Day! »

« Is not so bad Jackie. Tarakudo all by himself. Uncle will give worm a piece of Uncle. Now you answer phone. »

« Jackie it's Captain Black. The monster that escaped from Section Thirteen has turned up at the prison. It took the Enforcers and one of the other convicts. Have you any idea where they might be going? »

« I will ask. Thank you. Goodbye. » Jackie hangs up; to tell the others. « Tarakudo has got help. »

**o0O¥O0o **


	10. Jade Slips Into Shadow - 1st khan duel

**«» Jade Slipping into Shadow «»**

**«» Jade in Khanate Chapter Ten «»**

**«» Shadowrealm Heartland «»**

**o0O¥O0o **

Come the morning, such as it is in the Shadowrealms, Jade has the breakfast of champions before her first duel against a shadowkhan warlord. That is to say she would have: if Section Thirteen were the champions and the scavengings of their canteen the breakfast; but victuals they are. It is plenty enough that Jade has to stomach when she steps out into the arena. The shadowkhan that Jade has got to know are out there; she'd known that they would be, with them being the tribal warlords. It isn't all of it at all though, as each of them has brought their personal retinue to this gladitorium; twenty to a warlord makes nigh on two hundred shadowkhan there to see Jade's debut. The one and only supporter under Jade's banner is her loyal leechkhan. Ogami opens the proceedings.

« Jade Khan you wish our support to you; in your quest for talisman chi. Yet our code cannot bestow more than is conquered; regardless of our debt to you. We give fair challenge to you. Do you accept? »

« Bring it on swordmeister. »

« Jade Khan we accept the challenge of you. Who stands forth against this warrior? »

The ninjakhan cracks neck and knuckles in a very Dark Jackie way and observes.

« Hai! A human hatchling! This is a mockery. Even that one could defeat her. »

Ninjakhan points directly at the least of the shadowkhan; the little leechkhan.

« Back off creepazoid. You wanna pick on my buds? Tch! Gotta get through the Jadester first. »

« Bah! Do you think that you're any challenge to me! »

The duel of words is broken by a squidkhan, the who one had given Jade her banner the evening before.

« Umm. No. It should be I who make the challenge. Please permit me to face Jade Khan. »

« Usagi is the challenger to you Jade Khan. Take stance for passage of arms. »

« Ogami Khan; she should face a true warrior. Let me show her the meaning of combat! »

« It was Usagi who issued challenge, while you blustered. Be at peace; Jade Khan will contest you in the fullness of time. »

« So long as she can survive. Usagi if you presume to play soft with her you'll have me to fight next. »

« Let all be assured that should Jade Khan be victor it shall be true victory. If it be aught the less then her life is concluded. Commence! »

Usagi Squidkhan and Jade face each other in the cleared space at the heart of the plateau. Even before the combat has started,I the field is pitched against Jade: without a clear win they'll kill her off anyways and her opponent is gonna try and win all ways; it is that or else Usagi faces off against the ninjakhan. Formally, they bow to each other.

« Hiyaaaaaa! »

Jade leaps up and lashes out with a flying dropkick, as fast and hasty as ever. Usagi doesn't so much as trouble to move or to dodge but, the instant before Jade's foot connects, the terrible teeth of a head that is all jaws snap tight around her ankle. Jade is trapped in midair: dangling from the jaws of the squidkhan, she is fiercely tossed and torn; like a chew toy in the mouth of a terrier. Game as ever Jade swings in and strikes out with her fists, even as she is dangling upside down, the squidkhan simply seizes her striking arm in the lower set of jaws. Jade is caught like a flag on a flagpole, held by both arm and leg, as Usagi sways from side to side. Moving swiftly and violently the squidkhan has Jade's captured body swinging about like a banner in a gale; shredding her flesh, wrenching her limbs in their sockets, making her giddy and nauseous. Then the squidkhan sharply gapes opens the upper set of Jaws: giving Jade's leg a sudden liberty; so that her body drops down in a short and abrupt flight that is arrested by all of her weight falling onto her still trapped arm, in a torturing, contorting halt.

Usagi keeps still for only as long as it takes for Jade to take the full of the pain and the injury of this crashing stop. From then the squidkhan makes use of the last of Jade's momentum; bends double and low; before springing back to full height and snapping the triangular head upwards. Jade, with her arm locked in Usagi's jaws, is flung skywards and heads highwards as the squidkhan lets go of her altogether. Inevitably her flight has to become a fall and it ends with her falling back into the razor jaws. She plummets headfirst: till the fangs of the squidkhan clamp onto her body just below the arm. The vicious, upper enamel pierces Jade's flesh; as Usagi takes bite upon bite out of her — feeding her falling body through the maw, as if she is cloth in a sewing machine. By the time the teeth have chewed their way across her hip and along her leg to down the ankle Jade is dangling from Usagi's jaws just as she was at the very start of the fight. With an expert flip and dip of the head, the squidkhan wheels Jade around, till her uninjured arm is snared and wrenched about by the gnashing jaws.

It looks as if Jade is going through the meatgrinder all over again and her fists will be no more help than before. She doesn't agree with that for any kind of fun though: so she rams her one loose knee hard into the eye of a smug and overconfident shadowkhan. With a squeal the squidkhan jerks away an injured eye and hurting head; the jaws unclench in a reflex action: Jade flys free, hurtling through the air to land hard, heavily and hurtingly on the very brink of a lavabrook. She is back to her feet and back in the fight as they two face each other again.

« Hiyaaaaaa! »

Jade takes a run and a leap as she fires off a furious flying kick; this time she is coming in low to break the squidkhan into two halves, as well as to keep away from the Jade-munching head. The squidkhan doesn't move by so much as a whisker and actually allows Jade to drive in hard; then keep on driving and diving deep into the inside of the squidkhan. The creature has become some form of a dark tunnel into which the form of Jade is disappearing. In one instant Jade is powerbombing into Usagi (in a hardhitting horizontal kick from ground level) and the very next instant she is hurtling out of an inky hole that has just opened high in the sky. Jade drops out curled into a bare and shivering ball: all of her unclad flesh is white with chill; while her teeth chatter like a crab army.

« Cold - Cold - Cold » Jade sees where she is and her eyes bug « High - High - High »

Taken utterly unawares Jade has all of the force of her own energetic kick, as well as the deadly dynamo of gravity, combining to turn her into a divebombing, planeless, unshielded, kamikaze, suicide. Jade has been taken out by Usagi's signature move; the uncanny ability that has won the squidkhan so very many victories. This is the end of the fight for Jade; as all of her aims and ambitions are gong to shatter on the unforgiving ground; along with her own exposed and far too fragile form. There is nothing that could have prepared her for this or protected her from this. Somehow though, even though she lands with a grunt and a groan and definite damage, she manages to break the fall just of enough to be okay. Isn't it just the luckiest of coincidences that Hatsuné and Mugen chanced to practice high falls with her last night.

For a moment Usagi is taken aback; that a move that has taken out many a mighty shadowkhan and demon has done not nearly enough injury to this raw, half-formed, soft-skinned, mortal, child. In utter embarrassment Usagi springs upon Jade: enveloping and transporting her, uplifting her and then releasing her; for another bone-battering, body-bruising, bomb-run. This isn't any longer any kind of a fight; there is no way at all for Jade to fight off ebony ectoplasm or take issue with the air and the ground that are her assailants. The arctic chill of the inbetween bites into a skinned Jade; down to her very bone and marrow. All that Jade can do is to do the best she can, using the lessons from last night, and endure the endless piledriving pounding as best she can.

Usagi dares not do less than the worst … not even after taking Jade down to nothing. All of the other shadowkhan are standing in judgement of this duel; so Jade's reduction and destruction must be the most vicious and violent of performances. For every time that Jade is consumed and redoomed there is another and different danger for her to face down-below. Jade has to withstand a kaleidoscope of perils: the piercing of skin-slicing volcanic glass; the stabbing spears of crystal formations; the blistering bursts of furious fumaroles; the scalding spurt of geysers and her own ouching, aching self dropped in to begin an avalanche that rolls her roughly downslope.

All of this time however Usagi has entirely underestimated Jade; so long as she has breath in her body she will fight if she can. So far she hasn't had anything of a chance but now she has. The stones that have knocked her about, rocked her about, roughhoused her about, all of the way to a hurting heap at the bottom; they are still heaped about and they are ammunition. Usagi is sweeping in, sure of swallowing Jade up and dropping her down again; she is a bit above, just where the landslip has stopped partway upslope but this won't be any of a problem. How wrong can a shadowkhan be and how deadly can a Jade be; as she sends the largest and hardest stones that she can flinging down on her approaching enemy. It isn't single stones alone that Jade brings to the battle: she starts another avalanche and sends it surging down at Usagi; only to see it vanish inside of the void that is the squidkhan.

« Suckerific! Where did that lot go? Awww. Rats. »

Usagi has taken brutal advantage of the squidkhans' darkgate power to turn the avalanche back against Jade. It is all coming downslope from above her in an inescapable tide that sweeps her up, sweeps her along, sweeps the feet from under her. Jade goes tumbling, rumbling, jouncing and bouncing all the way to very foot of the steep slope. Her vulnerable, insubstantial flesh is set against those all too substantial rocks and slabs that slam, smash, mash and mangle her; making her nothing more than a bloodied cookie in a blender. It isn't the end though; the avalanche does end and Jade finds herself back on level ground and free of the grinding nightmare that has nearly destroyed her. Jade sees Usagi away in the distance, the squidkhan has kept safely away from the avalanche but is now coming in to make an end of her. Jade will have something to say about that; she leaps to her feet to greet the squidkhan with a deadly kick … only she can't as her body betrays her and won't obey her, while the squidkhan descends upon her.

**o0O¥O0o **

_**A/N **_

_**Oh! Sorry! You want to know what happens to Jade now? **_

_**Well there's a hint at the end of Chap 11 but you'll have to go all the way over to Chap 12 for the full and revolting details. Oh yeh and there is character death in this here fic. **_


	11. Jackie Fort Fighter

**«» Jackie Fort Fighter «»**

**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Eleven «»**

**«» **_**Europe **_**«»**

**o0O¥O0o**

**A/N «» **_**Okay so; this chapter is me having fun with one of my fav museums. Local detail is all on the spot. Except you won't find Sliabh na mBan in the quad. It just had to get a part tho; me being so lucky as to be able to see and touch it myself once. Also my thanks to Pioneering Author - this chapter has been polished on that review.**_

**o0O¥O0o **

Bad Chi indeed; to keep a photo of your niece that is really a photo of demon-in-niece-skin, and now this is morphing into a damning depiction of Jade's own descent into demonhood. The only upside is that the Chan Clan are on the inside track to get back the shadowkhan banners, that is before they can make Tarakudo King or Jade Queen of the Shadowkhan. The best of it all is that Jackie has an idea of where to begin the hunt and no need for research; not this one time. Archaeologist as he is, Jackie has heard of an exhibition of _Monks In History_; an exhibition including the _Sohei Warrior Monks_ of Japan and their banners too. This is why Captain Black is piloting the Chan Clan across the Atlantic Ocean, in a Section Thirteen minijet.

« Alright, Jackie, this is an M-Word Mission. But let me get this straight: when Tarakudo became a snake it gave Jade a way into the demonworlds and now she has to defeat all the shadowkhan bosses, if she wants their help to get back the talisman chi. That's a heavy mission brief, what happens if she loses one of the rounds? »

« If niece lose once then niece dead for always »

« Sensei, I cannot think of anyone that Jade has let defeat her. »

« But Jade was not trying to be Bruce Lee before. We must get her back. »

« Good luck then; this is Phoenix Park, Dublin, and the Collins Museum is over there. Sorry I can't go with you but the Guards are twitchy about private planes, after that Shannon mess. »

The Chan Clan make there way across the grass to the gates and the path leading to those converted barracks; the ones that are now the museum. All the way through the park Jackie is stumbling into and saying sorry to stampeding red deer. Stepping through the deep gateway and into the vast, brick-bounded, quadrangle, they're faced by a veteran fighting-car. They're in the parade ground of what was once Dublin's main barracks but is now the Collins Museum: the high brick walls and wide colonnaded walkways around the sides are much as they always have been; except for where parts have been glassed over or glassed-up into new and modern wings. The Chan Clan make a turn towards the nearest, right-hand corner: for the café, lecture-rooms and temporary exhibition space. A chef figure in a sleeveless, finely-quilted, black jerkin, with smart pewter slacks and polished black shoes is at the top of the short ramp to the doors. He holds a glistening salver in his hands as he turns around; to call out and to face Jackie.

« Mr Jackie Chan; do you recall me?. »

« Garnet! You are meant to be in prison; for endangering tortoises and Jades. »

« Do I look made for a life of gruel? How dare you do that to a man of my taste! »

Garnet makes his feeling felt by making a discus out of the salver and ringing it at Jackie. It comes so fierce and fast that the Chan barely has time to duck and let the salver embed in one of the pillars, at the far side of the old marching ground. Even then, when Jackie raises his hand to his head, he finds that he has been scalped across the middle.

« I am looking for monks; I do not want to become a monk. »

When Jackie looks up it is to find Garnet almost upon him; so Jackie swings a fist hard at the man's chest; only to feel his hand crunch and complain. Jackie dances back, shaking his hand in pain; as Garnet shrugs in satisfaction and raps his own well-guarded chest.

« Yes, Sir. I like my comforts. »

That is enough to get the two of them going and it soon becomes clear to Jackie that the ex-chef can cook up a mean brand of kung fu too. Garnet isn't the man-mountain of Tohru or the flying fool that is Hak Foo; he prefers to keep his feet on the ground: nifty footwork, suave evasions, low sweeps and stunning chops are his motif. Jackie is getting much the worst of the combat and finds himself driven back, till his back is up against the brickwall beneath the courtyard clock. He rolls his way along the masonry, as fast as he is able, but he just hasn't the speed to keep off all of Garnet's chops. Jackie springs back into an open doorway; slamming the door shut fast and hard. Jackie has to stop then; shaking his head and holding his hands to his ears at the bells in his skull.

Tohru is just as shocked as Jackie at finding Garnet in the Collins Museum and going up against them. The giant is not going to be of any help to Jackie however: the three Enforcers are also an unexpected and unwelcome addition to this expedition. The three of them crowd into Tohru, who is hindered by a crowd of tourists (each after the impossible snap that catches all of a side of the quad) and he finds himself rousted back into the cloister walk; which may as well be a straitjacket for a man of his size. Chow is bounding around in these close quarters; virtually flying off of walls, pillars and roof. Ratso is making like a boxer in front of Tohru and getting much the best of it. The Japanese can usually defend himself but he can't do it cramped in like this and is moving as if in diving boots. Finn has unleashed a set of nunchaku and is flicking them at Tohru; around the edges of the columns and the edges of the combat.

Back inside of the museum building: it takes a moment or two for Jackie to think, to consider where he has encased himself and then to look up and to take in where it is that he is. Jackie is right under the clock and inside of the clockhouse of the old barracks, just as it is chiming the hour. He hasn't much time to consider his case as Garnet comes bursting through the door and the two of them set to again; this time having a running fight all the way up the tower maze to where the clockface is cased. Garnet is getting in a good licking at Jackie; who is pressed up against the guardrail around the clock-mechanism but the redhead lets his enthusiasm get the better of his judgement. Garnet jabs in harder and harder but slacker and slacker; until Jackie ducks a blow abruptly and entirely. Garnet goes shooting away over the guardrail and down all the storeys of the old barracks; till he comes to a thumping halt, inside the trap of the cage at the base of the workings. Looking down from above, Jackie leans out to push against the bar of the pendulum. Garnet dodges about like a drunken rat but, in the end, is decked and downed as the clock strikes time on him.

Tohru has taken more than enough of annoyance and so, with a striking clutch, he has grabbed a hold of the free end of the nunchaku and yanked Finn into the inside of the cloisters. The skinny bandit is dashed into the arms and into the legs of his comrades; ending with all of them tangling into a crushing, crashing scrummage. Tohru breaks out into the courtyard but nobody follows; the three Enforcers choose to stay in the walkway. From there they can lash out from cover and dash back before Tohru can do them any damage; it is the whack-a-rat fairground game but not so fair on this ground. In the end of it all Tohru is pure raging and entirely taunted into driving the bulk of himself along the colonnade. Powering along he drives the clump of unfortunate Enforcers all the way to the end of the colonnade, where this side of the quad joins the next by means of a modern, glass, extension block. Bulldozing The Enforcers along in front of him, Tohru becomes the doyen of Dublin art; by blasting them into the glass-eyed, boss-eyed corner of the yard. As the glass structure falls in upon itself and fells The Enforcers along with it; there is a clearance which gives the barracks back the first and original stark allure that is its due.

Jackie has been seeking and not finding Tohru, with the man mountain being obscured by man-made colonnades. The crash and smash of shattering glass is all of the clue that Jackie needs to home in Tohru. The both of them are triumphant and reunited but left wondering where is Uncle and what has become of the banner. These two questions are soon answered by the view and halloo of Uncle: in some way he has made his way to the roof above the entryway; from there he is waving a banner high over his head. There is no doubt at all this is the one they seek, even apart from Uncle's acumen, it's plain to see the Oni mask of General Orenji traced upon it. Lucklessly, in all of the hurly burly of the melee, jackie had not made as sure of Garnet as he ought to have done.

The fighting-car at the heart of the courtyard has come to life; as it turns the Chan Clan can see the name that runs across it's flank: _Sliabh na mBan._ But they have no care for the history that was, only for the history is about to be: as the Collins Car slews about for the turret gun to aim up at Uncle and shoot the banner pure out of his hand. Garnet's head springs up from inside the motor as he mouths off.

« That's bitter desserts for all of you. »

Jackie barely waits to listen, as he is already haring out the barracks and down the streets. There is still a ringing inside of his head but he can hardly care about that now … except that the ringing is outside of his head and in the tramcar which nearly railroads his career. Throwing himself down and nearly flat on his back, Jackie just about manages a skidding kick that glides him under the trolleycar and out the other side; once there he is instantly on his feet again. The banner has caught in the trees of a small park just under the museum and between it and the town river. it is only but a short check in the onward flight but enough for Jackie to make up ground. It is almost in his grasp, as it floats across the park, so Jackie takes a jump onto the curving, stonework walls of the park monument.

The local wee chisellers have been playing their everlasting game of running from low-end of wall to high and lepping over the gaps along the way; but now they flit away in every way, to make way for a flying jackie Chan. He isn't quite high enough or fast enough and the next he sees is the banner wafting along over the Liffey River. Before ever he can have another chance at the teasing rag, Jackie must brave the crossing of the crazed crossways by the quays. It calls on all of his long earnt and hard learnt skill and daring but jackie is across with his skin intact; if not his nerves. Jackie races onto Sean Heuston Bridge, as hasty as a sprinter for the last Galway train, and springs onto the parapet to strain upwards for the errant banner. Exactly as Jackie makes his attempt; Tarakudo surges out from under the bridge; Jackie shouts with dismay.

« Yikes; crime in the slime. »

Tarakudo looks all too much like the victor here; with his length and his serpent speed giving him a far lead over Jackie. That, at least, is what it have might been; only Jackie went and took a run all along the length of Tarakudo's back. In the end of it all Jackie wins by a head: by standing on Tarakudo's own head; to snatch the victory and the banner from the oniwyrm. The instant that Jackie's fingers settle on the banner, he is thrown into one most unworldly vision: an arid, rocky, bloodshot landscape; where a figure just as bloody is sprawled out upon the ground. The wrecked ragamuffin is Jade, with a look of horror on her face such as he has never seen. Over her looms a squidkhan: its face is an exposed terror of jaws and fangs and burning eyes. The creature slavers, whitely, from the upper mouth: as it hunches over Jade and its body shakes with fury; while the under-fangs open upon Jade.

Then the banner is gone; vanished out of Jackie's grasp and out of the world entirely. With no more left to win. Tarakudo takes his leave and Jackie is left with nothing in his hand and nothing beneath his feet. He plummets down to the always low-tide of the Liffey Side, next to Heuston Station: to make an inglorious and boggy touchdown with his posterior; while one out of the hordes of racketing seagulls takes his head for a landing post. Jackie drags one muddied hand down over his face; sighing heavily.

« Bad Day! Very Bad Day. »

**o0O¥O0o **


	12. Jade Is Under The Japanese

**«» Jade Under the Japanese «» Jade in Khanate Chapter Twelve «»**

**o0O¥O0o The End of Combat o0O¥O0o**

**o0O¥O0o**

Jade is alone and brought low; no Jackie, Uncle or Tohru are going to appear to save her and her own body has abandoned her. It is not enough for the squidkhan to peel her down to nothing, to rob the heat out of her bones and the strength out her body. Squidkhan Usagi is under trial as much as is Jade and is going to make a swagger by damaging, dominating and destroying her; till she is reduced to little more than roadkill. One instant ago Jade was thinking she had won herself a chance: by her cunning use of an avalanche: only to find the squidkhan powers dropping the ton of rock down upon her and downing her totally.

Jade's thoughts race. _Suckerific! I'm gonna be aced by an overgrown slug. - Slug? - Salt? - SALT!_

She might not be able to stand but Jade can still roll and roll she does: away from Usagi and towards one edge of the arena. The brief respite lends her just enough energy to stand; despite she is still as shaky as a newborn lamb. On her feet again, Jade is driven back by Usagi's advance; she retreats on wobbling legs. Her crimson, shaking body offers no resistance for the victorious squidkhan; nor does she mean it to, so long as she can retreat to where she needs to be. With her back firm against a rocky uprise there is nowhere left for Jade to withdraw to, except upwards, and that is the way she goes: up to the salty rockpools she'd found the day before.

Splashing like any toddler in a beachpool, with her arms, legs, hands and feet, Jade patters a rainstorm of brackish water down onto the squidkhan. The dark hide of the shadowkhan hisses, bubbles and steams; the throat lets go a scream like a dozen cats in a mangle. Jade's shout is almost lost in the sound.

«Taste the Jadester! »

That's all the warning Jade gives: as she quickly seizes her chance and seizes up two large fistfuls of salt; then she vaults down to lock her bare legs around the squidkhan head. Leaning over the screaming, gaping, upper-jaws of Usagi: Jade pours the salt down the maw, in a virulent, white stream.

There are no more screams from Usagi; only a burbling, gurgling, choking utterance and the steaming upchuck of a reeking, tarry vomit mixed with salt. This streaks across the misfortunate face and jaws of Usagi; as the squidkhan writhes in paroxysms of anguish. In the end of it all: Usagi bends nearly in two and Jade is flung down; to spread her length upon the ground, beneath the retching, shaking, collapsing shadowkhan. In all her life, Jade has stood her ground against any enemy and without regrets; yet she sickens and recoils at this dirty win against the timid, bullied Usagi. Jade stares up at what she has done in utter horror; she'd wanted to, needed to scrub the demon but she'd never meant to become the demon herself. The two of them are both laid low together, each injured and thrown to the ground, a mere handspan away from each other; yet it is only the girl who is able to drag herself groggily, upright again.

Jade has won this first duel.

It seems that Usagi may never stir again; while the ground under Jade's feet and the air upon her ears quakes and thunders with the stamping feet of the applauding shadowkhan. The veryself of Ogami Khan approaches Jade, down an imposing avenue made of every shadowkhan in attendance, In utter and dignified silence the Khan Chief offers a short and curved sword to Jade. This wakizashi has a midnight blue binding over white diamonds and a gold crest on the handle, The sheath is also midnight blue; while the guard is in dark metal with gold trim and a motif of birds, insects and foliage traced into it. There is nothing that Jade can do but to accept graciously: this is all too clearly the sign of her acceptance, her rank and her conquest; in this the very first of the duels. The shadowkhan applaud once more: when Jade brandishes her own, personal sword on high; while Ogami kneels to her and Usagi lies at her feet … yet this victory tastes bitter and hollow to her.

This is even more of a poor conquest when the ninjakhan swipes Stormey through the air, to land atop the shivering Usagi. The ninjakhan follows the flight of the leechkhan and also comes to a stop next to the prone squidkhan, who then receives a kicking from the ninjakhan. With one sweeping gesture the ninjakhan encompasses the two downed shadowkhan and Jade; to indict them all.

« Are these sweepings of offal even worth our attention? For shame! To call these shadowkhan! »

Jade shivers, growls and frowns; raging with indignation. Human or Shadowkhan a bully is a bully. These two are under her protection too. Her eyes slit and darken into cats' eyes as her skin deepens to blue, while fangs and talons extend. The newly bestowed wakizashi is swung in an expert gesture, while Jade eases into a fighting pose. Her voice is an echoing whisper, as she declaims.

« Carrion Crow; to strike the weak and helpless. Touch upon mine and you touch upon me. »

« Pah! Your mortal posturings mean nothing to me. Face me if you dare. »

« For such lowness I will slit your gizzards and strangle you with your own entrails. »

Stormey freezes to a statue at this Other Jade but Usagi cannot help calling out, aghast.

« Jade Khan! Princess Jade? Ah, please, no; you musn't. »

Usagi wins more of a victory over Jade by these words than by an entire duel; for she hears, reacts and pulls herself back to herself. Yet so, the taint of the Shadowqueen lays claim to Jade: the white of her eyes darkens to copper and the feline, inhuman slant remains. This even before Ogami Khan steps in and exerts authority.

« Yokagé! Between you and Jade Khan it is you who has knowledge of our ways; yet none here will forget who showed the better respect to fellow Khans and walked the path of wisdom and restraint; even in despite of your provocation. It appears you have much to learn from what has transpired here; as do we all. Let us disperse and consider.

**o0O¥O0o The Beginning of Victory o0O¥O0o**

The shadowkhan melt away upon this instruction; Hatsuné agrees to find a safe home for the wakizashi and goes off with Mugen. Finally, all that are left in sight are Stormey and the crippled Usagi. Yokagé, the ninjakhan, is there also: bitter with humiliation and lurking in the dark to see what Jade will do next. What Jade does is go directly to find if Stormey is okay and then attends to Usagi. If the squidkhan's head wasn't in a daze before it surely is after a taste of the Jadester and her rat-on-caffeine, accelerated explanation.

« Sorry. My bad. I didn't mean to hurt you like that - well I did - but I didn't - but you were so making a meal out of me - then you went and played catch-ball with my body - you nearly put me in orbit - like I was a new cloud up in the sky - and you totally chowed down on me - then you swallowed me up into that sky freezer - you left me like this - you so turned me into a basketball - then you dropped a mountain on me - and I couldn't hit you - and I couldn't touch you - and that's what we do to slugs who get into Uncle's mung bean plants - so it totally wasn't my fault - but I didn't mean to make you sick - tell me it's okay. »

« Uhhhh! Please do not talk as if you are an avalanche, my head is chiming. You're not to trouble yourself over me; it was, ah, my own error. I should've known that anybody who won out over the Khanwoods wasn't going to be a routine challenge. »

« Tch! You so meant "buttwhup munchies"! Don't you worry; the Jadester is gonna fix you up »

With a hurried instruction to Stormey, Jade sends the leechkhan off in one direction; she makes her own way down to the ricepaddies. There she puts some of the fieldcraft, that she has learnt on all of her expeditions, into practice: knowing how to get the best water and something to carry it in.

« Hiyaaaa »

A flying dropkick chops down some of the bamboos; Jade squeezes the best of the water out of the rice plants and into the hollow stems; then some mud plugging the open ends are all it takes to seal them up and make some handy, natural water bottles, to take back to Usagi. No sooner is she back than Jade lowers herself, crosslegged, onto the ground and shows her determination to make right by wrestling the large and heavy body of the squidkhan up on her shoulder. When she has Usagi propped up just as she wants, she begins to run the water into the upper mouth and down the throat. After enough of a time for Jade's shoulder to begin to ache, the squidkhan is no longer trembling and no longer needs Jade's support.

Long before that. Stormey has come along with the last of the sack of food; the one that Jade had parked in a local cave. Digging out the cleanest wrappers and serviettes, Jade gets to work and uses more of the water: to clean away the salt from around Usagi's face; as well as do what she can for the sores. It is all the first-aid Jade can give; all she can do next is to just let Usagi get as comfortable as possible. The squidkhan rolls facedown onto the ground then rears up the top part of the body; it is all too like a rearing walrus on a beach. Jade simply flops down onto her tummy, legs bent up to kick the air, as her chin rests in her hands; so she can look right into the face of her newest of buddies. Water might be the best thing for the sick but Jade reckons she has something a lot tastier to offer now.

« Wanna share our McDees? » Jade asks, showing Usagi what they have and how to eat it

« Ah, I thank you for your kindness but we shadowkhan draw our sustenance directly from the energies of the Shadowrealm. You'll, umm, find it will reinforce you too, now you belong. »

« Tch! No way! All those teeth have gotta be good for something. Try this. Best outta the bin. »

Jade pulls out an entirely cooked, wrapped and untouched burger from her supplies. This has to be one of Tyrone's rejects; he always buys these Grade A burgers then remembers he is on diet again and ditches them. It is the best of Jade's pickings and she has been saving it for her victory feast but Usagi sure looks needy. Jade breaks off a handful and feeds it to the squidkhan. The strangest of looks ripples across Usagi's face: astonishment, puzzlement, enjoyment.

« Please, umm, don't feel you have to take any care of me but that is, ah, very pleasant. »

« Coolamundo. Plenty for everyone here. Tch! Now! What's the deal with those guys treating you like road sweepings? »

Jade lounges on the gritty earth; swigging the lees of drinks and chowing on the oh so gourmet food. She is face to face with the fangsome, mouthsome visage of the squidkhan. Casually, Jade keeps on feeding nibbles in as they chat; not forgetting to toss Stormey a morsel or few. It is a vision of Girl and Cat Lazing in the Sun; only done by Hieronymus Bosch. Usagi sighs heavily and goes on to explain.

« We, umm us, General Orenji's Army; we were always used as the shocktroops. We, ah, had to be in the vanguard of every battlefield. Once our, umm, appearance had frightened the opposing forces enough we were supposed to disappear. Ahhhh we always made the victories but never got any of the respect for it. We have a reputation for erm, for ah, for … lacking in bravery and venom. That is, umm, why it was meant for me to face you first and, ah, why I had to make a show. »

« Suckerific! Do all the dirty work; they call you a coward; say you can't fight. Tch! Way worse than the guys who call me shrimp. No way! You aced me! Like; I was nearly a one-armed-bandit back there. Turned my ribs into a xylophone. Gonna have these scars for life and jeez; drop a mountain on a girl when she's down! Hey everyone knows you'd have had me beat, without my secret weapon. Come on; you did great! Hoo Hah! »

Jade punches vibrantly forward, with a thumbs-up-fist, which Usagi has no more idea what to do with than Lo Pei had. She has to explain the good-sign to a new and good friend all over again. Jade has been wriggling her arm, shoulder and back all the while she talks: raising her all to deep sores back to life by the mere mention of them; yet all she cares for is how Usagi is hurting and not for her own hurts at all. The shadowkhan is just soooo shy and cute, with that fairy-light face. Making her new bud feel better, makes Jade feels the best she has all day and she feels better yet; when Hatsuné and Mugen join them. While so many come in, Yokagé makes a way out; afraid to be found out. The ninjakhan is content; the mortal girl has her weaknesses and she will soon learn how well they can be used against her

This is Jade's time: her duel, her victory, her revel and yet, for this once, Mugen makes nothing of it. The mantiskhan fears the new Jade and does not dare break in amongst a Khan and her Warlord. Jade simply takes the matter out of those claws and into her hands; wanting to celebrate and share with her friends: she twists, rises, grasps the mantis claws and somersaults like a bulldancer. She gives Mugen no choice but to hold her and throw her; to send her whirling through the air and back to waiting claws for another odyssey. The initiative is all her own but Usagi surprises them all by wanting to be invited in. Mugen and Jade between them are mad enough to go for anything and, soon enough, Jade is being spun high and swift and wild: far into the air where Hatsuné waits and then down and between Mugen and Usagi. Jade is the basketball in a goblin tryout and loving every perilous moment. She has never lived like this: her parents are too old and staid; the Chan Clan is all of magic and mayhem but every one of them all is too scholarly to do anything but mark the calendar feastdays. Fun and joy and merriment, the mere horseplay that her schoolmates take as a given in their families, is entirely absent from hers.

Jade barely has a name for what she feels now but she never wants it to end. End it does, of course, as the all of them settle back to the ground for a taste of the mortalands. Luckily for them all, Stormey has raided enough out of Section Thirteen's discards to keep Jade fed for a week; it is plenty to do for the five of them for an afternoon of bonding and sharing. Hatsuné is the first to make a speech; giving Jade a small and elegantly wrapped package along with it.

« Regard, Jade; we are all your opponents but we are not all your enemies. The sun shines the brightest through stormclouds; you were as a flame when we faced you amongst mortals. Consider Jade, us four have all put somewhat of ourselves into this; yet one had to be seed to the forest. He most of all recalls meeting you; sad to see him cloak shyness in injury. »

Jade guesses her way past the tease; then pounces on Usagi with an exuberant hug. She has hugs for all of them and a squeeze of gratitude to Stormey; even before unwrapping the gift.

« Usagi? All you guys! Coolamundo! Thanks. »

Jade is simply glad for the kindness; whatever about what the gift might be. It turns out to be the solid metal form of the same shuriken petal as on her banner, except that the hole at the core has the sigil for _Jade _added into it. Mugen gently takes the shape from out of Jade's hand and plunges it briefly into a lava pit. Taking it out he impresses the almost molten object against the middle of Jade's forehead. The maquette gradually vanishes away, to become the very glyph itself; this is more than ever the the tattoo Jade has been wanting. This is a gift, a token, a kindness and Jade will not spoil it: she does not cry out or pull away, even as her hands clench, teeth grit and skin deforms, under the intolerable heat. At the end of her ordeal Jade uses some tinfoil-wrap as an impromptu mirror and sees … the mark of the Jade Khan embossed into her flesh in corbeau tints.

**o0O¥O0o**

_**A/N «» For those of you who give a shite about bit-player names: Tyrone is my own invent. The shadowkhan names split into "bad guy" names that are pure fabrication and "good guy" names which come from animé, manga, comix aaaand vocaloids. Don't anybody say Jade shoulda gotta Katana; I know it! Hey tho just how way too damn big for the titchster would that be. Yup and yep there is a real life model: my own katana gotten off a mate and posing for the cover of this here fic. Last thing; my head fits well neat on my shoulders so don't any of you report the "titchster" crack to Jade; kay!**_


	13. Jackie And Jade And Ikazuki

**«» Jade + Jackie + Ikazuki «»**

**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Thirteen «»**

**o0O¥O0o **

**o0O¥O0o Tarakudo Booked o0O¥O0o **

**The three enforcers, their new made friend and even Tarakudo are entirely weary as they reach Dun Laoghaire, This is the port where they berthed their new home on the waves; before their failed Irish Invasion. Carl Nivore had been good enough to sign over the boat to his old chef; in lieu of any other manumission. His sign of kindness came from not wanting to become any kind of a gourmet meal for a demon-snake. Whatever about that; Carl Nivore very soon became a drowning fatality. None of this is enough to make Tarakudo happy, as he sees that he knows nothing enough about the shadowkhan; so now he is going to have to obtain, to command and to actually read General Ikazuki's Oni Tome.**

**o0O¥O0o Booking a Tea Ceremony o0O¥O0o**

**Shadowkhan! When you get to know them, they seem almost as human as any … almost. Their notion of a friendship bracelet is to brand a girl on the forehead, with a lavaheat shuriken glyph. Jade takes it in the spirit it is meant: she draws one deep and shuddering breath; sucking in the pain before she opens up.**

**« That's one hot art project!. Thanks guys; you're the bomb! Who met me? Where? Think I'd remember. No! Don't tell me you're Uncle's mung bean pipeline. »**

**« Erm, no we don't have that duty. It was when that boy had the Orenji mask and we, ah, had to kidnap you. The boy was turning into an Oni and I managed to, umm lose my mask. How it made everyone run away screaming. Oh; but not you. The sight of me only made you more defiant. You even rose to the demon's challenge Ah; I noted you then: a bonsai, steely, samurai. Erm, yes, well that was how we met and I, umm, knew I had to, ah, meet you again.**

**Jade cannot help herself: she falls apart laughing and struggling to gasp out her words, all at the same time.**

**« Usagi – you – you – you're … the – original … fall guy … duh … nobody … has – a … mung – bean … pipeline … lighten – up … already. »**

**Usagi says not a word, his face is on pause and not moving at all, even as his eyes glance around at the other shadowkhan; who are doing their very best to stand on their dignity. None of them succeed: an eye twitches here, a mouth quirks there, a chuckle slips out and then all of them are falling into each other and holding one another upright, as pure mirth possesses them. In the end of it all they are all laughed out and subside into teary breathlessness. **

**Jade falls onto her knees and rummages through the final leavings of her haul from Section Thirteen; to pull out enough soda pop for all of them to simmer down with. She flings herself down on her back; lying as if she is at the beach: one hand behind her head, one hand for her soda, one leg out straight and flat and the other drawn up and bent at the knee. She looks around and up at the shadowkhan, who are taking it easy****alongside of her; then she turns to the squidkhan, teasingly.**

**« Hey, Usagi, you don't get to be scary all the time. If you're gonna come visiting at Halloween all of us are gonna be playing bogeyman. Makes you just one of the crowd; duh. You wanna come round at Christmas; your face way looks like a Christmas Tree. But how do you pull off that ghost thing? Never seen the ninjaboys do a slow fade. »**

**« We, umm, all of us have our own powers to go with our own forms and, most of our talents either work in mortalands or demonworlds but not both. Travelling through shadow only works for any of us in mortalands but, ah, here my kind can be a shadow to send matter through. »**

**« Tch! So that's how you play jack-in-a-box with the air! » **

**« Uh, it isn't that special, it doesn't work for much further than I can throw things. It only really, umm, helps in the, erm, battles ah – a – against … people. Oh why did I try so hard to win? It was very wrong; to hammer you so much. »**

**« No way! It was a duel What else are you gonna do? Come on you got the salt overdose, not me, bet you could do with more soda now. Sheesh, I know, you guys don't need this junk but you gotta admit it's better than living all bun and no burger. Aww! It's all gone »**

**« Evidently! Now you have no choice; save that I entertain you to tea. Come! Follow! »**

**This from Hatsuné, who escorts the group to one of the caves in the cliffs above the plateau. At the inside the cave becomes a vision of Old Japan: bamboo mats and silken drapes hide the rock, there is a sparse but elegant array of low furniture, while pride of place is given to a central hearth and an elaborate, ceremonial tea assemblage.**

**« Mondocoolio. Wish you could see all this, Stormey. »**

**« So give the eyes to see! Show us you won more than a weapon. Find the spirit; find the spirit. »**

**« Tch! Like I can do that? How about it Stormey? Would you like some peepers? Ooookay let's try some hocus pocus. » **

**Jade responds to Mugen's promptings and to the leechkhan's eagerness. She gives over all of her attention to Stormey: so she totally misses on how all of the other shadowkhan are on barbed tenterhooks; to discover what she can do and what she will do. Prodding Stormey twice on the head, where eyes should be, and imagining as hard as she can Jade is utterly astonished when Stormey opens up black eyelids: showing slatey whites, red irises and black pupils. Those last have a Jade touch: in the heart of them are tiny smiley faces. These mirror the huge grin and pure joy of Stormey. The other shadowkhan are just as impressed.**

**« Yes! Yes, yes, yes; there is hope. »**

**« Awesome. I have the power! … Duh? What Mugen? »**

**« Indeed … there is hope of tea brewing and perhaps crab meat. »**

**Hatsuné narrows her eyes at Mugen; as she curls an arm around Jade and draws the girl to her; walking right over Jade's query. The batkhan hardly need have troubled; Jade's butterfly attention has already moved on. **

**« How come you're living in Little Tokyo. Aren't you all just shadowkhan? »**

**« Observant, Jade! We are all shadowkhan but we aren't only shadowkhan and weren't always shadowkhan. Once we had bodies like yours and still we attempt to preserve what we can of what we were. »**

**Hatsuné brushes hands across Jade, almost possessively, as she stresses what the girl has and is.**

**« Twisty! Gonna give me the guided tour? Uncle oughta be here; "we must do research". »**

**«Umm, he could use the, ah Book of Oni. »**

**« Yeah; only I kinda aced that playing Shadowqueen. » *embarrassed grin***

**« Fortunately, Jade; it wasn't the only one. »**

**« Suckerific; how many books've I gotta put in the toaster! Way not a career. »**

**« Lucky, lucky Jade! Tarakudo and the shadows didn't rule you. Throwing the light in that dark kept you bright, bright! Good chi for all. »**

**« Intelligently there were two books. General Ikazuki desired information for his stratagems. Yet; his greatest stratagem was always to please his master Tarakudo, so he made a copy and a gift. »**

**« Mondocoolio; a cheat sheet. Gotta beat Uncle jackie to it. »**

**« Ah, how would your Uncle so much as be aware of the, umm. Book of Ikazuki.? »**

**« He has a nose for this jazz; he'll be on the spot. Let's skim guys; I so don't wanna have to fight Uncle Jackie. »**

**o0O¥O0o Travel Books o0O¥O0o **

**In the day at Dubh Linn, in the back of the microjet with Captain Black, back in the States, into Section Thirteen and onto a taxicab the debate dances. Jackie relays and replays the vision he saw; in the brief moment that the shadowkhan banner whispered across his fingers. Whatever about that; it is gone and all he can do is count the cost.**

**« Jade has lost. » This earns him a double digit rap and a riposte from Uncle.**

**« Aiyaaa! Foolish Jackie. Banner goes to winner. Banner is gone. Jade is winner. »**

**« But » **

**« But » **

**Both Jackie and Tohru start to open up as Uncle gazes into the distance.**

**« One more thing! How you know vision is true? »**

**« Uncle I … »**

**« One more thing! Could be next battle that Jackie saw. Niece wins now; loses later. »**

**« Uncle it … »**

**«One more thing. Shadowkhan could win banner. Jackie must do funeral. » Uncle frowns hard.**

**« Sensei I do not believe Jade would let us down. How do we know what the banner tells us? »**

**« Aiyaaa! Must do research! But how? Jackie! Your niece destroyed Book of Oni. Jade is very bad Shadowqueen. »**

**« Sensei; why did the Book of Oni have the face of Tarakudo? Wouldn't that make it his book? »**

**« Aiyaaa! Apprentice tells Uncle obvious. Book of Oni is Book of Tarakudo. »**

**« Uhhhh Sensei; when I was little my mommy told me how the Daimyo of Japan always made two of anything important. There was one for them and one for their lord. So … if Tarakudo had one book … then I think there must be another book for the generals.**

**« Apprentice is good Japanese student. It will be Book of Ikazuki. Jackie must find it. Now! »**

**This last comment of Uncle is stressed with a two-finger flick as they reach and enter Rare Finds. When they enter Tohru entirely slips the issue of any book and goes direct to the art section; as he scopes out the chi-charged photo of Jade at Melvinworld. Past any doubt it has changed again: for the better … and for the worse.**

**« Noooo! Oh Jade. » **

**Tohru's cry brings Uncle and jackie rushing in to find what new shock is rushing in on them. All three heave a sigh of relief at the evidence that Jade is as alive and as lively as ever she was … and a sigh of shock that Jade is not as Jade as ever she was.**

**The tiny form of the shadow-eating shadowkhan remains there as before; only now it lours out at them, with the ebony and ruby gaze of a lowering storm. Where there had been a wonderful, mirthful Melvin Moose, with arms widely outstretched around Ersatz-Jade and her companions, there now looms the shape of a baleful, fangful, dreadful shadowkhan. For all that; it isn't this which scares the Chan Clan so very much but the other monster taking shape within the frame: Jade with her slanted, ocherous eyes and the corbeau brand of the Shadowrealm upon her brow.**

**« Aiyaaa! We must do research quickly. Uncle will investigate. »**

**« Yes. Please hurry Uncle. It would be very bad if Jade found it before us. »**

**« Jackie, I'm sure it will be alright; I know Sensei will work his fastest, Besides how would Jade so much as be aware that there is a Book of Ikazuki to look for?.**

**« She has a nose for this jazz; she'll be on the spot. Please let us skim; I do not want to have to fight my Niece Jade. »**

**o0O¥O0o **

_**A/N Yep! Wordplay again! Dubh Linn - Black Lake - Captain Black. Naturally if you visit Dubh Linn you'll find the Irish name for it is Baile Atha Cliath as well as Dublin. Tis the header on all buses. That's right; three names for the one city - generous huh. Yeep to balance out the darkness one of the suburbs is Blanchardstown or White Town; familiarly known as Blanche. Oh am in evil mood tonight. The shopping square of Blanche is Roselawns and a poetic name for Ireland is The Black Rose (Roisin Dubh). Feeling dizzy yet?**_**? Oh yep and the Shannon Mess is Rendition; tho might've slightly blurred timelines there. (n_n)**


	14. Jackie And The Jade Princess

_**«» Jackie and Jade and The Shadowkhan Princess «»**_

_**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Fourteen «»**_

_**«» Atlas Mountains - Northern Africa «»**_

_**o0O¥O0o **_

High up in the Atlas Mountains a large, treacle-dark, night-robed, human form glides out of the portal of a craggy monastery, one which almost seems to be part of the very rock face. The figure descends upon the Chan Clan; who are just done toiling up the brutal ridge which leads to the chessboard of an airfield far below. Uncle is singled out for the attention of the nigrine personage; who clinches Uncle into a rib threatening bearhug.

_« Ah! So this is Uncle of the Rare Finds. It is good to see you in the flesh; after so many years of posting one another our notes and discoveries. »_

_« Yes! Abbot Blanchard had many pieces of Uncle. Now Uncle hopes you have piece he wants. »_

_« Ah and this is your nephew Jackie and your apprentice Tohru. It is good. »_

The Abbott jovially slaps the pair on the back and offers warm handshakes. This leaves them both shaken and shaking their crumpled hands. Abbott Blanchard then strides off back inside of the gateway; simply taking it for given that the Chan Clan will follow him within and across to the monastery library. In the beam-end that faces them there is a round and ornamental window on the upper floor and two tall windows on either side of some double-doors at ground level. The Abbott throws open the pair of elaborately worked doors, twice as tall as his own impressive height and polished till their dark wood and fittings glow. Then he turns to Uncle with a clap on the shoulder that nearly makes pieces of Uncle.

_« Ah it is good. There are many rare finds here; yes even the Book of the Oni. It is in there … somewhere. I'm sure you'll find it. Let me know how you do. I have to go and keep my lazy monks sharp at the grindstone. »_

With that Abbot Blanchard is gone, away to a group of monks in a far corner; they've been hard at it whetting axes and trimming wood but now the woodchips begin to fly like a snowstorm. Jackie and the others are only too glad to disappear into the quietness of the library. Keeping the doors open for fresh air, they peer around. There is one entryway, which is the doorway where they are, then a groundfloor full of carrels and all kinds of bookish impedimenta. Clustering at the midpoint is all the kit of a bookbindery workshop. Around the walls and upon the pillars of this long and narrow hallway there are maps, charts, images, eidolons and all the ancillary of demonology. All of the Oni Generals are there in effigy with the pride of place going to the head of Tarakudo; thankfully as dead and inert as only masonry can be.

The library itself is one storey up: on galleries that run along the two long sides of the hall and are linked in the middle by a single wooden bridge; it is nothing more than an "H" block. In the far end wall, the one that is opposite to the entrance, there are set two further doors; one to the right and one to the left. These veritable artworks of entryware must surely lead onto stairways that rise up to the gangways on the right and on the left. The Chan Clan waste no time in finding out and they home in on the ingress that is on their left; from their viewpoint of looking inwards from the main doorway.

Jackie is first up the stairs, then Uncle and at the rear is Tohru; which is the order in which they push through the door at the top of the stairs and onto the book laden gantry. The very first thing that greets their eyes is the Enforcers coming in by the other doorway and onto the separate galley to their left. Each and either team: they stare and they glare at the others there; this a pure nightmare and neither team means to be the one which is going to go down in defeat without the Book of Ikazuki. The three of the Chan Clan and the four of the Enforcers launch themselves at the long ranks of books as if they're starveling terriers let loose in a butcher shop. Books, tomes, almanacs, cyclopedias, atlases and all the printed matter of the world is whirled off of the shelves and into two burgeoning spoilheaps of text ranging along the floor of each gallery.

Tarakudo appears to be giving the monastery the shunnage and so Boris is the one who takes command; to demand that Finn go off across the bridge athwart the two galleys and put a slowage onto the Chan Clan. Easy to ask, to say and to tell but not at all so easy to do; not when Finn meets Jackie playing Cúchulainn against Connacht and holding the bridge. Finn is up for it: with a set of nunchuks coming out from inside of his jacket and cracking down at Jackie. The archaeologist dodges from side to side; springs up and over the nunchuks or ducks low and below them. In the end it is all too much and all too close: Jackie has to get out of the zone altogether.

He leaps up and onto one rail of the bridge and wobbles perilously there: only to find those nunchuks whizzing for his legs. They sweep the feet clean out from under Jackie and wipe him off of the rail of the bridge; to go plunging down towards the backbreaking carrels. It is only at the last split second that Jackie manages to grab onto the handrail of the bridge. There he is; Jackie Chan dangling down by his two hands from the handrail along the bridge while the nunchuks comes zipping down to rap his knuckles away and wrap up his career. Jackie frantically hand-over-hands himself along the balustrade and just about manages to keep ahead of the deadly nunchuks. It isn't a game that he can play for all that long though, as the bridge is only so long, and the end is already in sight. Jackie looks along the shrinking length of the bridge and moans.

_« This is not good I do not want to be a bookend. Bad Day! Bad Day! »_

With nowhere to go and nothing to hold onto Jackie lets loose with one hand to make a snatch at the zooming nunchuks. He gets a hold, even as he holds on by one arm, and it is enough for Jackie to get the edge over Finn and send the Enforcer over the edge with one sudden yank. In the very same moment as Finn goes floordiving headlong: Jackie makes like a trapeze artiste and regains the bridge. Finn is gone from the combat: fallen into a drum of paper and rolled up like the sausage in a hotdog. Almost as soon as Jackie is back on his feet, Chow is there to keep up the bad fight. Even as these walkway bouts unwind the other rivals keep on about the hunt for the Book of Ikazuki.

Chow opens the next affray with a flying kick that sways Jackie; landing on the bridge rail Chow pivots, sprints and launches into another kick. In order to avoid it Jackie springs off of the bridge floor and onto the other rail of the bridge. Chow lands on the exact same rail and they back and advance along the narrow span like two gymnasts in a deadly _pas de deux _on the balance beam. In the end of it Chow is having the worst of it and evades away onto the other handrail; only to have Jackie pursue him in a flying leap. Chow ripostes with an aerial kick of his own and the two wing past each other swapping blows and swapping the rails they are on. To and fro they go from one handrail to the other and around and back again. Jackie is in a whirl as he calls out.

_« No! Please I do not want to be a shuttlecock. Bad Day. Bad Day. »_

In the next turn about: Jackie and Chow dash along the rails, spin and fly at each other. Just as all the times before they ought to meet and clash in the midair above the bridge and than land on one railing of the bridge or another; before going around for another round. This time however Jackie leaps high and splits his legs open wide; so that Chow actually goes under and through the space where a Chan should have been but isn't. Unable to halt or to slow Chow goes flying of off the bridge to make a splashdown in a tall tub of ink down below. With the smallness of him, and the tallness and greasiness of it, he has no chance at all of getting out unaided.

Ratso has seen and heard all of the indignities piling upon his fellow Enforcers and decides to do something about it. Snatching up a large and heavy tome he sends the missive flying like a missile towards the back of an unsuspecting Jackie Chan. Sailing direct and true the wordhoard looks set to knock Jackie's head clean across his shoulders; that is until he bends to pick up the shades that Chow has lost. The tome flys on and clean across Jackie's shoulders to smack into an unaware Tohru; knocking the giant both out and off the mezzanine to the floor beneath. Tohru dazedly holds the book out at arms' length to see the cover which shows: one sassy fish peeping out a hot cauldron and the words "The Wise Salmon". He just has time to mutter in disgust, before he passes out.

_« I hate fish. »_

Ratso chooses this moment to launch himself onto the bridge and lock Jackie up in a clinch. All of everybody in the library is now scrapping, struggling, searching or slumped. This degree of distraction is just the kind of careless that bears a high price tag. In the entryway a shadow looms and enlarges as something approaches from outside. In silhouette it is human shaped but more angular than a human body ought to be; a horn rises from the front and middle of the head while a tale flicks at one side. Yes this a less or perhaps more than a human being: Jade in a square-cut cape, with Stormey perched on her brow and the wakizashi at her side. Nobody sees her or is even aware of her while she takes in the wild chaos of the room: Uncle and Boris at the heart of two whirlwinds of wordage; Tohru coming to while holding onto a fishing book; two Enforcers unable to escape and a bridge laden with the fighting storm of Jackie and Ratso. Jade observes it all: the hall and the inhabitants, the fitments and the arrangements; she is entirely unimpressed.

_« Tch! Scholars oughta know to be quiet in a library. Helloooo guys! Hide a book on a bookshelf!? »_

Jade's eyes narrow, she scans the hall, her body tenses and Stormey rushes down to her shoulder and grabs tight hold of her hair. This is the only halfway safe place to be when Jade displays her erratic acrobatics and, sure enough, the girl is airborne.

_« Hiyaaaa! »_

The bust of Ikazuki is the victim of a Jade Chan flying dropkick; it busts apart where it stands on its stand and all that remains is the book that had been concealed inside of the hollowness of the statuary. Jade grabs the book as she flys, spins and lands, catlike on her feet atop of a desk. They all are noticing her now. A dusk-blue cape with deep-red trim flares at Jade's shoulders, iterated upon it in blackwork is her own vizard: it is the motif of the shadowkhan overlain by the mark of Jade Khan herself. A darkly shining tunic of gold and amethyst shimmers upon Jade's body; while her arms, legs and feet are bare. The sawtooth hemline and the slits and splits of the garment are all of amaranthine. A vermilion sash circles around her waist and holds the night-blue scabbard of her deadly sword. Jade's skin is tanned to old vellum and scored with the music of far too many battles. The face and the hair still are those of the Jade they've always known but the eyes are those of a demon cat and the pugmark of the Shadowrealms darkens her brow.

It is hardly possible for any of the valiant or the villainous to grasp the spectacle before them. A medley of voices arises and breaks out into a simultaneity of pandemonium,

_« Scary. » — Ratso_

_« Jade! » — Jackie._

_« Jade? » — Tohru_

_« Bad Chi! » — Uncle_

_« Gallowsbait! » — Boris_

_« Sitting Duck! » — Tarakudo_

The oniwyrm has at last made his appearance; it seems he was only hiding and biding his time until the tome was unhidden. This is the first moment Jade has set eyes on the Oni since the Khanwood, when he was walking on two legs.

_« Tarakudo! You've changed! New haircut? » _

Tarakudo rears up, the snakehood flaring as his ire almost blasts out, but he checks himself. He squirms and he writhes, gesturing with a flick of the tail, a nod of the head but does no more.

_« So … good of you to notice. And my, aren't you just the same wiseacre as always. So annoying! Why couldn't you be a good little Alice and let the shadows eat you up; just like all the others that I've sent down the rabbithole. Well hello my dear! Don't you know you're a shadow yourself? Just the kind nobody ever expects; oh yes you're the one who'll always find the prize. All I had to do was curl up and wait; until you'd done my work for me. Thank you kindly; my unlucky Jade. »_

He attacks! Tarakudo springs from a lulling flapjaw to a pouncing whipsnake. Jade is gone; moving even before the final word. She isn't one to be caught snoozing and knows just what she is doing. Jade is primed and ready: with unexpected allies in unexpected places and she calls on that now; as she flings the Book of Ikazuki high into the air.

_« Usagi. »_

A dark blotch appears within the air, a little way past and over the bridge, the Book of Ikazuki is hard on target and vanishes inside the outline of the squidkhan. Jade has spun Tarakudo a curve ball yet the prize is too much to give up so easily. Tarakudo ripples into the air like a burning fountain, until the snakebody is gone inside of the squidkhan also. For an eternity of a moment all is calmness then Tarakudo erupts out of the other side of Usagi with the Book of Ikazuki held firm in his snakey jaws. The squidkhan fades back into nothingness as if never having been there. Tarakudo is dropping now; past the bridge and towards the floor.

On the bridge Jackie leaps and grabs Ratso around the middle with all the force that he can exert. This turns Ratso into the whirling spindle for Jackie's propellor-blade-body. For one crucial moment Jackie extends like a windsock out to where he can knock the Book of Ikazuki out of the fangly embrace. Tarakudo keeps on falling and will be right back at ground zero soon but with nothing won. At the bridge the impossible and impromptu whirligig of Jackie and Ratso has broken apart into a jumble of falling, sprawling bodies. The Book of Ikazuki is way above their heads, from where Jackie kicked it, but coming back down at speed. Ratso all but flys across the bridge, in his haste to be the prizewinner for once.

_« I've got it! I've got it! … Oh. … No I haven't. »_

Ratso has given his all to his effort but no thought at all to how he will slow and brake. He hits the rail, leans over, goes over and lands all over Tarakudo in a knotty heap of man and beast. Up above Jackie has made a much better save and is firm on the bridge with the Book of Ikazuki secure in his grasp, as he calls down to his opponents.

_« Please do not take books out of the library without a membership card. I will look after this. »_

Both Jackie's victory and security are equally fleeting: as a paperstorm of hardbacks batter at him; till he struggles to keep himself upright and okay. Boris is the foundation of Jackie's predicament: the ex-chef is shooting the tomes at him with the ease and speed of a casino cardsharp laying a hand.

_« Allow me to broaden your reading for you. »_

_« Please; I do not like these books. They are too hard for me. » _

They are too hard, too fast, too many and too much for Jackie and have him staggering backward until the back of his knees crack against the handrail. Caught between a book and a hard place Jackie can't keep his place and bends over backwards to take the expressway airway down to the ground. He is losing his luck as fast as he is losing everything else: the Book of Ikazuki is lost to an unknown corner while Jackie has lost his balance and is draped on his back in front of the fierce spearhead that is Tarakudo. This is the crux of crisis and Jade is there as ever: a lightning flash of gossamer and steel coming between the sprawling Jackie and the mauling Tarakudo. Her newly won sword curves high in the air then descends on Tarakudo; in a flash and a slash that will take his head pure away from his body.

_« Fangs off Uncle Jackie, whalebait. »_

Tarakudo angles his body up into a frantic, vertical, dogleg and is only just in time to evade the killer strike from Jade. The sword runs a glissade along the length of the serpentine form but just misses the mark. The blade storms on: driving forward under the impetus of the energy of Jade; past any chance of her bringing it to any handbrake stop. Jade twists urgently and with all of her body as her wakizashi aims directly for Jackie. The sharp edge of the blade cleaves through his top and leaves a distinct fish-hook curl in the fabric … J for Jackie.

_« Oooops. My bad! » Jade peeps out of the demon princess with her patent embarrassed grin._

_« Jade! You should not play with sharp objects. Somebody could get hurt. »_

By now the two are almost nose to nose in this row. Then Jade gives jackie an abrupt thrust; pushing with a force that sends the two of them flying backwards and away from each other. In the gap that she has, all so suddenly, opened up a vicious blast, from the hooding mantle of Tarakudo, rips through the very space that has held two Chan bodies only a second before.

_« Tch! Playing? Does this look like snakes n ladders!? »_

Before Jackie so much as has a chance to reply to Jade he feels a tap upon his shoulder and turns around to find Boris there and holding a jumbo size inkbrush; the pigment is slapping across Jackie's face before he can even gasp. He is half-blinded by this and an easy target for Boris; Jackie has to split between trying to wipe away the black and trying to swipe away the attack. Boris is all but making a punching bag of Jackie and driving him back into the dead-end of the hall. Yes, to be sure, Jackie is trying his very best to get in any kind of a blow wherever and whenever he can but they mostly go broad and wild. Boris is making the most of this free gift of a disabled Jackie and hitting in almost as if painting by numbers on an anatomical model.

_« This is not nice. You do not fight fair. Please; I am not a book for pasting. »_

_« I like my life easy, sir. »_

Further away and towards the entry doors Tohru is having his own difficulties. He is down and even more down when Ratso begins to pull down all of the decorations and stock that he can; to keep Tohru down and buried under a blizzard of materials. Tohru groans, shifts, thrusts and does his best to rise and enter into the fight but as swiftly as he is almost upright just as quickly does Ratso flatten him downright. Finally Ratso is getting tired of playing the same game on Tohru over and over again,

Feeling bored Ratso changes the play and grabs up a chair to act out the lion-tamer against the penned lion that is Tohru. Now it is that every moment, when Tohru is part of the way back up again, so will Ratso drive in with the chair to lurch the giant off of his feet and back into the heap. Ratso is oh so very pleased with himself; to be the last one standing and to at last be holding it over the impregnable Tohru. Giddy with happiness and success Ratso cannot hold back from pushing Tohru as far as can be. The Enforcer picks up the Wise Salmon book that he had first cast at the giant; holding it and showing it to Tohru; then riffling the pages.

In the middle of the hall in the midst of all the carrels Jade is being the bad schoolgirl and racing from one desk to the next. Stormey has long past chosen to stay safe inside the khanwear as Jade does what she must: she flys like the straight arrow of a trapeze artist; leaps, tucks, and spins like an acrobat; folds, twists, arches and reverses as if a contortionist. In all of this the flamefire of the rearing, mantling Tarakudo is always about her: licking her feet, brushing her arms, gilding her legs, enfolding her whole body with furnace fury.

The unending exertions are taxing even the buff muscles that Jade is so proud of; making every action an ordeal of will. Sweat plasters her hair, stings her eyes and glisters her skin. Jade has always been a bundle of energy and never afraid of a fight but not even she can outface such a raging blaze; the heat, the pace, the sheer marathon of survival is robbing away every reserve that she has. Martial artist or no she is long past having any control of her breath in this superheated zone. It is all she can do to take one gasp after another into her hammering lungs; to endure for just one instant more and then one instant more again and then again … as she refuses to let her body quit or to give Tarakudo the victory.

At the end of the hall Jackie has nowhere left to go; being tucked entirely into the far back corner. It is at last the chance he has been needing: feeling and knowing where he is Jackie leaps high and braces his arms and legs across the corner. Boris punches in with all the speed and venom that has been the mark of all his attacks on Jackie but, suddenly, there is no Jackie there and Boris's fist crunches hard against the wall. In that instant of respite Jackie has got back his sight and now drops onto Boris with all of his weight; the man is fogged and helpless just long enough for Jackie to swing him into the corner. The door to the stairs is that close to the corner that, if it is thrown open wide, then it makes the base of a triangular space: an architectural, impromptu cage; one that Jackie secures by wedging a chair in front of it.

Tohru isn't doing nearly so well as Jackie: up by the entrance the giant is still under the trap and the baiting of Ratso and his pages of fish.

_« Oh look. Little fishies. You like little fishies. »_

_« I … hate … fish … ! »_

Tohru erupts upwards in a volcano of pigments, penpots, paper, paintbrushes, parchment and paraphernalia. This piscine indignity has fired Tohru up to escape and retaliate; he grabs ahold of Ratso by the seat of his pants and the shoulders of his jacket.

_« Whoa. Easy there big guy. It was only a joke. Can't you take a joke.? »_

_« I … hate … fish … jokes … ! »_

Tohru swings Ratso backward then forward; letting go at just the exact moment to be firing the Enforcer right between the jaws of a bookclamp press. After all of the tease it is now Tohru who gives the squeeze; in case the bite isn't tight enough to be enough of a payback he rotates the screw down until Ratso is almost flatso.

At the heart of the library Jade is going flat-out and full-on just to keep ahead of a charring from the fire-serpent that is the new Tarakudo. He is rearing up in the midst of the carrels and acting like a watchtower with a flamethrower: able to spot and to target Jade anywhere in the deskage, just by twisting about a bit. Jade has been trying her best to run around in circles, in the hopes of turning him into a corkscrew, but having to go around the jets of flame puts paid to that game. Everyway she goes Tarakudo is there looming over her smallness; which all at once clicks for her.

_« Tch! Go bump your head. Let's see you follow me down here. »_

Jade is away under the desks with the grip and spin of an acrobat off a keepnet; Tarakudo flexes and chases her without any hesitation. It isn't at all the same world downunder though and he can't flare his hood; which seems to be key to his powers now. Even if he were able to let rip with a line of fire it is all to likely to backfire in these close quarters. It becomes the purest of chases: Jade racing onward barely a jawsnatch ahead of Tarakudo; Jade ducking low when he closes that gap; Jade twisting and swerving like a march hare in a maze; Jade going around, over, under and even doubling back on Tarakudo. In and out of the wooden-skyed forest of desklegs the pair turn, curve and weave their pattern of conflict; until Jade at last shimmies through a gap between two of the serpent-coils. She is done; she has won; it will be an age till he gets the knot she has made of him undone.

This has been a game of three halves; in every section of the library and against every genre of foe. Jackie and Tohru stand quiet where they are; where they are each the captors of one or another of their enemies. Jade can claim the same and stand on her dignity too but it just isn't how she is.

_« Knot so hot now duh! » she riles Tarakudo as she poises in front of him with arms crossed._

_« Oh you will see. » Tarakudo say as manages to hackle his crest enough to call his shadowkhan._

The burly forms of the robed isokhan manifest around the walls of the lower floor; the Chan Clan of Jackie, Tohru and Jade fall back on one another as they have done so often in the past: the three of them back-to-back against unimaginable odds.

_« Oh this is not good. Shadowkhan Number Ten. How many shadowkhan does Tarakudo have? »_

_« My research did not tell me that there were robed shadowkhan. »_

_« Tch Robe Khan, Robo Khan; they're not so tough. Isokhan? Duh more like ice-cream-khan. We aced 'em before in the future; me and me. »_

_« Please, Jade, you are making my head hurt. I would be very happy if you could stay in one time and one world. Now you must keep back and let me and Tohru take care of these Iiokhan. It is much too dangerous for you to be here. »_

_« Duh; khanboss here Jackie. I've got this. Leave it to my fangster gangsters! » _

Jade puts two fingers to her mouth and whistles. Where, one moment ago, the shadows had vented forth a horde of isokhan now they boil with the emerging squidkhan. The classic shadowkhan are upon the modern shadowkhan from the instant that they are solid. A furious, inhuman battle erupts all across the workfloor of the library: hostile to the point of blindness not a one of them gives a care for the humans there. The Enforcers are safe enough: boxed and hidden as they are; they will be the passive witnesses to all that follows. What looks set to follow is that the Chan Clan are in for a mangling and a trampling; as mere byblows to the combat that is raging.

_« Aiyaaaa! Must Uncle do all work? Do not play with shadowkhan; we must go and do research. »_

Uncle stands framed in the entryway: tapping the Book of Ikazuki that he is holding; as if nothing is at fault in the world. Jackie gives Jade a hefty shove towards the exit and soon all three of them are on a weaving run through the milling shadowkhan to the safety of the courtyard. No sooner are they out than Tohru slams the doors closed and Jackie wedges a log against it to secure it. Then Jade is hugging them all tight; for all of her changes she is in so many ways unchanged.

_« Jackie, Tohru, Uncle! I've missed you guys. »_

_« Then we had better get you home now; before there is any more trouble. »_

_« Uncle will be sorrrry but niece can do research. »_

_« Yes. You will stay in the shop and help Tohru and Uncle find the talismans. But no more following us; that is over. Oh I cannot believe I am saying this: you will be coming with us. »_

_« Mondocoolio the Jadester scores! Chi magic and a mission. Duh turn the lights on here, who put a spell on you guys; you never let me do that stuff. You always tell me it's too dangerous. Tch! »_

_« I believe Jackie and Sensei would rather have their little girl in danger with them than to see her run off to be a shadowqueen. »_

_« Awwww; cuuuute guys. Tch not so much of the Little Girl … duh this is Agent Jade. »_

_« Yes Jade. Whatever you _… »

Anything Jackie was about to say is lost; as a pair of wrestling shadowkhan smash out of one of the library windows, one of those next to the main doorway. They are so busy doing their worst to one another that they have entirely forgotten to phase through the glass. All of the Chan Clan jolt at this abrupt turn of events but Jade is utterly aghast; as her world spins on its axis. All about her are those closest to her in the world: the family she found and left and then found again but they are not for her; not in this bind. Jade whirls and runs as hard and fast as she can away from all of that love and care, seeing only her new loyalties.

« Tch! No more playtime. My bad! I'm so gonna miss you guys. The Jadester didn't buy a return ticket and Mooseworld is shut for the season. Win me a crown and I've gotta keep on earning it. »

All this Jade calls over her shoulder: as she goes so far in so few yards that the Jade that she was is gone past any saving. To be sure, she has enough of a head start to be in at the window and away nearly before the rest of the Chan Clan knows she is gone.

_« Jaaaade NO! » _

Is all Jackie has time to call out before he is after Jade and far too late already as he is shot back by the infernal explosion of the library. It as if the very walls of the building breath in and then huff out; to shatter every window into a crystal rain.

The three of the Chan Clan rush over and hasten inside to find the proud library a shattered wreckage. The Enforcers are as immobile as ever and out cold on top of that. Tarakudo has once again proven a veritable Houdini. There is not the least of a whisper of a sign that any of the shadowkhan were ever there whatever. Jade might as well never have been there at all; might have been nothing more than a phantom of their urgent longing for her safe return. Tohru voices their confusion and consternation.

_« I do not understand. This book was so easy to find; anyone could have come here and asked for it many years ago. But we all ran in at the same time and broke everything up. How did that happen? »_

_« Aiyaaa foolish apprentice. Nobody was looking. All thought Book of Tarakudo only Book of Oni. Not think of second book till first book destroyed. »_

Moving out of a library that holds less than nothing for them now they meet Abbot Blanchard indignant at the explosion and the outcome. It is Jackie who is able if not to soothe but at least to divert the irate Abbott.

_« We are very sorry but demons do not play nice. Please let us go home; you can keep the demon's gang. I am sure they will be very helpful in cleaning this up. »_

_« Yes, yes, it is good. Take the book; I'm happy you found it. Excuse me; if I have a library to rebuild then I want a good talk with my workers. »_

Abbott Blanchard speaks distractedly; as he heads on into the library with the most unholy gleam in his monkish eye.

The Book … The Book of Oni … The Book of Ikazuki — yes they have it but the Chan Clan would happily shred it to confetti and throw it on a funeral pyre if it gave them Jade back again.

**o0O¥O0o **

_**A/N**_

_**Okay if any of ye nosey fecks wanna know how the fabric on the tunic looks then check out the background to the bookcover.**_

_**In Irish Myth: There were always cattle raids going on and one time Connacht raided Ulster but all of the Irish heroes save one were magically incapacitated. It fell to that single hero to hold back Connacht till Ulster was ready to fight again. That was Cuchulainn. It is all in the book Tain bo Cualinge and there is even a Tain Trail across Ireland. Yeh and there is a gnarly statue of him in the GPO on Connaught Street Dublin as a memorial of The Rising. **_

_**In Irish Myth: The Salmon of Knowledge was this fish that had eaten the nuts of wisdom. It swam thru every river of Ireland but was at last caught in the Boann by an Irish Hero and the mere taste of it gave him all the knowledge of the world. Why tho was it the Boann? Sionnain is a far grander river.**_


	15. Uncle And Jade Paperchase

**«» Uncle and Jade Paperchase «»**

**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Fifteen «» **

**«» **_**Atlas Mountain Monastery**_** «»**

**o0O¥O0o**

Heartsick at the ache of leaving Jackie, Tohru and Uncle, just as she discovers how very much she misses them, Jade feels the wrench of running out of their loving embrace. For all about that, she knows there is nothing else she can do, not unless she is to make a lie out of all that she is and all that Jackie has taught her. It was her alone that fought the duel, won the title, became the Khan; that makes it her alone who must stand between her own and any troubles. If Clan Usagi is going to get the worst of a hard fight then it has to be her that takes her title for all that it means and her who takes the blows upon herself.

Bursting in through the shattered window Jade takes a moment to take in the scene. There are the Enforcers as caught as ever but Tarakudo has done a flit. Clan Usagi for all their fearsome teeth, orbs and experience seem to have quite lost their heart; wilting under the assault of the isokhan. Jade soon eyes the reason why: Usagi himself is down upon the ground and ailing; an isokhan looms above him and is pouring out a basket of scrolls onto the erupting hide of the unfortunate shadowkhan. Luckless as ever Usagi is the victim of a hoard of spell scrolls kept in this library of demonology.

Jade Chan, with all of the spirit that has made her the curse of bullies everywhere, would always have sprung to the rescue of anybody who is so under. Now though, Jade has motive and means far beyond ever before. Jade runs, leaps and soars to come pouncing down on the hapless isokhan.

« Hiyaaaa! »

Jade descends on the robed khan with her wakizashi arcing down in a curve that severs both of the isokhan's arms. Limbs, basket and scrolls go flying away even as the armless isokhan vanishes away in a haze of crimson smoke. The squidkhan chief undulates to standing and Warlord and Khan join together to gauge the flow of battle. Out of all of the worlds: Jade knows more of the isokhan than any; as she has faced them more than any. Isokhan might be slow and dull one-on-one but they well balance that out with their instinct for teamwork. Jade spots the pattern at once: a trio of isokhan around every fangster and, for sure, the makings of a crushing for her team. She focuses all of her concentration onto the action: shutting out all of the world except for the balance of the shadowkhan. Exactly as Jackie has taught her, in all of their kung-fu classes, Jade holds nothing in her mind but the awareness of her opponent. At the exact instant she yells out.

« FADE! »

Drilled into the immediate obedience of any leader the squidkhan turn intangible; exactly as the isokhan rush in and crush in but only to smash and bash against each other in a resounding crash. The awesome impact of an entire legion coming into opposition rocks the library, shatters all that is at the cusp of destruction and blasts out every pane of glass. It is the ultimate of own goals; a victory beyond any hope for the squidkhan and all for the fact that Jade wears her crown well.

« Yesssss! Go fangster gangsters. Bring the house down! Oh yeahhhh! »

With that paean they are gone.

**«» **_**Shadowrealm Heartland**_** «»**

They are gone: Usagi, Jadester and fangster. The Warlord and Khan come out on the very same mountain terrace that Jade has seen so much of. The army of Clan Usagi are nowhere to be seen; only Mugen and Hatsuné are there to greet their return. Mugen greets Jade in his own unique way and yet seems more triumphant than ever as he grabs onto Jade and sends her flying.

« Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! You are back. You are Khan. You are ours! Ours until death! Yes! Yes! Yes!. »

Even as Mugen sends Jade flying out from his claws and into the air, in the only roller coaster that she cares for now, questions are churning and stirring inside of her head but before she has any of a chance to form them or ask them Hatsuné is quizzing her.

« Foolish Jade; why visit us? You had your family, the book and an army to call on. Shadowkhan are only the shadows of their masters. Shadows are stones on the path to power. »

« Tch! You're way to cute for shadows. No way does the Jadester rat out her straphangers. Duh I guess I won the crown so now I gotta wear the crown. »

« Uh, umm, my gratitude, Jade Khan; you, ah, saved my being when you chose to, erm, to lead instead of rule. Ah, erm, uh: my deep regrets I was not able to secure the, ah, book for you. »

« Tch! I slipped on the banana skin too. Duh, whatever! Jackie has it and not whalebait. It's cool. »

« Truly! You are, erm, accepting of this? »

« Usagiiiiii! It's way okay. Uncle can do research. Tch! Like I read books anyway, »

« If it is any, umm, help: I did, ah, preserve the text. I was, erm, able to absorb it while I, uh, had the book and I could, ah, show that to you if you wish. »

« Mondocoolio. Lets rock.! »

_**«» Rare Finds in Shadowrealm «»**_

With the aid of Section Thirteen, the Chan Clan have made the most incredible race back to their San Francisco Base. To have got Jade back and in five minutes see her passed along the enchanted way and as lost to them as an old ghost is happiness thrown away and they mean to win it back. They are hardly past the door of Rare Finds before the two scholars are pouncing on the book The Book of Ikazuki, just like the Book of Tarakudo, is scripted in Mystic Japanese with diagrams aplenty. It will take the combined skills of Tohru and Uncle to comprehend it

Whatever about that, it is Uncle who first sets hand to the book, once it is back in the shop,. It is he who opens the cover, to his utter shock, at the occult connection he makes. In his mind's eye he can see Jade in a vast cavern with rills of lava and falls of scalding water chasing down the walls to cast up a pall of smoke and steam. It is a very scene from an inferno and one full of the most awful of shadowkhan: an army of fang-jawed monsters are strewn across the floor, a knife-handed monster clings to the wall. A freaky kind of uncanny octopoid stands atop a pillar of rock; while a bat-winged shadowkhan hangs down, over that same stalagmite.

This is disturbs even Uncle (for all he rarely can be shocked by any of the eldritch) but the heartbite is that (between bat and tentacle) there is the bare and cross-legged form of Jade with her naked sword across her knees. Her lambent, slitted eyes gaze at something that he cannot see; off in the distance. The effulgent, rubescent light dances across her skin incarnadining her and coruscating off her scars. The pillar is as good as a throne to the Shadow Princess: Jade poises, with her escorts attending her, as she dominates the mass of the shadowkhan. The apparition fades and Uncle concentrates alongside Tohru to make sense of the Book of Ikazuki; that is the one original Book of Oni. They advance sentence by sentence.

The Rare Finders transcribe painstakingly. Meanwhile and in the same moment but from a vastly more savage land: Khan Jade reads aloud to her followers off of the words that Usagi has left sprawled across the cavern wall. The mortal Chan Clan and the Shadow Princess unwittingly play out the antiphony of a Tragic Greek Chorus. The Words echo and mirror across the worlds; between cool study and fiery cave.

« Shadowkhan were first known of in Feudal Japan. The age of fealty and sorcery. » Uncle reads.

_« They began life as mortal warriors who had broken the codes they had sworn to or were elsewise bespelled. » Jade reads._

« When they died the mortal death their spirits were cast into the forms of shadowkhan. »

_«Their curse is to dwell in the Shadowrealm and to serve whomever be able to conquer their warlords. »_

« True death and an end to their aeons of suffering is denied to them. »

_« Till such time as they might redeem themselves by deeds of nobility and expunge their past. _

_« _Nathless that in life some of the ilk had no path of glory — as the service or denial of an evil lord both alike earnt condemnation. »

_« Howbeit for long as it prevails that they are ruled by lords of power and deviltry all shadowkhan must mirror the nature of whom commands. »_

« The Oni Generals are secure; verily even those amidst the shadowkhan whom have been spotless in life are besmirched and robbed of liberty by the stain of Oni rule. They win no merit under our hand. »

_« Thus the shadowkhan exist in eternal hope of one who shall lead and not rule. »_

« They pine away the centuries in dreams of one with the strength to conquer but not to be a conqueror. One who has the spirit to draw them down the path of bright deeds and surcease. »

»»» A long silence then Uncle speaks. «««

« Aiyaaaa! Niece in ancient proverb. Do not let her know or she will be foooolish. »

**«» **_**Shadowrealm Heartland &amp; Caverns**_** «»**

« Duh! Freeeeaky! Usagi said " Lead not Rule" too. … … Tch! No way! I'm so not your escape hatch! »

« Excitable Jade! It is past time for tea. Come. Would you disappoint us and not hold to your promise? »

Hatsuné speaks from where she drapes from the cavern roof above Jade's head; reminding the girl of her promise to witness a tea-ceremony and mayhap hinting at still further promises that will be demanded of the Shadow Princess. Sensei Uncle said: "kung fu make secret weapon of whole body" and Jade is now an unsheathed sword; her raw form ready to be wrought anew in the forges of the Shadowrealm.

As Jade Khan she has her elite guard of squidkhan but feels no need of them, in truth finds it awkward to have such. Jade is happy to leave them in the grotto along with Hakasé; Stormey too can't easily be inlcuded in the tea ceremony. This doesn't concern Jade so much, as she has another task for her new made freind.

Back in the Mortalands, at the monastery, where she was torn in half between new and old companions, Jade saw too clearly how she was neglecting the Chan Clan. It was more and worse than that: the quest for the banners was drawing them into trouble, without her to get them out. Jade isn't happy to leave things so and has a message writ down for Stormey to deliver to Viper and ask that slippery customer to keep an eye out for the Chan clan.

With her letter sent, Jade links up with her latest companions. The scholarly Hakasé lingers to probe the text; the opposite of Mugen who has no interest in the dryness of lore. The crabkhan waits outside the cave; to join the trio of Jade, Hatsuné and Usagi as they make their way to the batkhan's quarters. For this quartet it is an atypically quiet trek. Jade rebuffs all efforts at talk as her head is full of a blizzard of thoughts that only gradually settles into disturbing shapes within the landscape of her mind.

The tea-ceremony is every iota as formal and stilted as Jade has expected. It is a politeness and duty that is expected of her and she intends to play along with it for only as long as she has to before she can get away from it. This is just as she would feel in Mortalands; if she had to go to a likeless kid's birthday; just to repay the fact of that kid coming to her party before.

It isn't any of a bit like that however: the irrepressible Mugen quietens and submits, the reticent Usagi stiffens and assists, the oblique Hatsuné is decisive and compelling. The all of them settle to the ground with dignity and courtesy, in all their various ways. Jade is lightning-struck to her core: to perceive in this the very focus, exactitude and essence that is at the heart of her kung fu mastery.

It simply isn't in her to do anything but to observe this new discipline, with the same respect that she would give to her own. This is the very thing that Jade needs at this instance: an emptiness within her and a stilling of the ferment inside of her; as she achieves the non-being of utter focus.

It is only afterwards that Jade bursts forth with the concerns that have distilled inside of her.

« Tch! That plane really missed the runway. No way was that the Book of Oni; Daolon Wong had to help me read the last one but I got every word of that bookstore refugee myself. »

« Ah, yes, umm that is only natural. Now that you have, erm, defeated our last lord and, uh, won the khanship for yourself you are, uh, umm one of us now. That is why our language is, umm, your language too now. The, ah, ways of the, erm, Mortalands don't, uh, restrict you now as you are, ah, erm. uh, aren't entirely human anymore. »

It is little wonder that Usagi is more hesitant than ever; no lieutenant ever wishes to give a commander unwelcome news and this surely is a facer to Jade.

« Duh! You mean I gotta sit on my tush here for centuries till some Supermoose comes and gives me a gold star? How does that even work? Where did that isokhan go; that I salamied? »

« Foolish Jade; you're not as we, you're no spear fallen on the warground. In your hands we may take flight beyond the horizon. The light of our hope kindles in you; though we know not if your flame will be burn bright or is to be quenched in trials to come. »

« No, no, no; not so bad for you. All of us; we can get killed out of our bodies. Then we get shrunk down, down. down to one of them. [pointing at Stormey] We lose our speech, our powers, we lose ourselves; can't do anything, anything, anything by our own. »

For once Mugen is not happy; as he speaks with disgust and loathing of the fate of a dead but not deceased shadowkhan. His gesture takes in Stormey: as sweet as the leechkhan might be, this is, for sure, one who is as next-to-nothing as any living creature can be. To the vibrant Mugen it is a vision of hell and there is more yet that he has to say.

« Jade, Jade, Jade don't be glum. It won't happen to you; you're not cursed like us. No! It'll be fine. When you're killed you'll be dead, dead, dead. »

« Tch! Dead once is enough. Change the channel; I missed the first episode. That's why you guys are so hot to bag the talismans for me; I'm your hall pass. Duh but that's only gonna cover the guys in my gang and you're not gonna be in my gang till I buttwhup you. Sheesh I've cleared the stall of fangster gangsters. That was all I wanted; help with the talismans, not to be Tarakudo the Second. Tch can't leave you guys here though … guess I've got a battle marathon coming. »

**o0O¥O0o — A/N — o0O¥O0o**

_**This is the edited chapter - thx to the review by Pioneering Author. **_

_**Ye see so: reviews are read and responded to … so write in pls.**_


	16. Jackie Mountain Ranger

_**«» Jackie Mountain Ranger «»**_

_**«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Fifteen «»**_

_**«» Vettone Village - Iberia «»**_

**o0O¥O0o**

Jackie and Tohru pound the arid, dusty, buff-toned, earthen paths of the village as they have done for perhaps the hundredth (or is it the thousandth) time since they came to this dot of a hamlet nestling in the crook of a mountain pass. They pass the oh so friendly and welcoming villagers over and over again (until these very Sapiens become actual persons with characters and traits) and find what they find at every circuit they perform: a marshmallow wall of vapid, blank and smiling faces that says in so many voices.

_"Good to see you. Sorry can't help. Me know nothing"._

There is meant to be a cave hereabouts with the next Oni-General Banner concealed in it but not a sniff of hollow can be found by the two of the Chan Clan. Vettone Village straddles one of the countless, icy and rushing streams of the mountains; just a little way downstream from the hammering waterfall. There are three main roadways through the village that form a Y. The tail of it heads back southwards and into the lowland meadowlands and at the crux of the figure (where the three roads meet) there is the one bridge (at the heart of Vettone) that straddles the river. The western fork of the roads crosses this bridge and continues on at an ascending slope (between the river on the one hand and a wooded, earthy hillside, that forms the western boundary to the valley, on the other hand) till it breeches the pass of the mountains; some little way above the waterfall. This verdant strip is the home of countless goats.

The eastern roadway allows folks to pass on through the village with the river on their left-hand and buildings on their right-hand; this track also rises up beside the watercourse but it only goes so far as a promontory at the level of the waterfall and then stops. Up there is perched an old and Gothic style castle that has been home to Jackie and Tohru for the past few weeks. They are the guests of a Major Orpington; he cares nothing for the dry and bootless field of architecture that interests Jackie and cannot be less interested in some old flag but he is glad of company and happy to extend a welcoming hand. His interests lie far more with the natural world, though.

_« Don't see call for digging up some dusty 'ol rag myself. Best if you got some living interest. Frogs! Frogs now! Amazing critters. More kinds of Bufo Bufo here than anywhere in Europe. Not about to spit in another man's soup though. Go ahead. Make yourself at home. Long as you like. »_

That is where the two Chan Clan are heading to now; for the midday buffet and then to enter into yet one more afternoon of fruitless hunting. They had been warned and Jackie knew so very well how folks would hide away the old archaeology around their homes: either as it brought them good luck and no stranger was going to take that away; or as it would be bad luck if it went an no stranger was going to bring that on them. The castle looms above them (like a set from Buffy Vampire Slayer) as the drive bends around to the entrance that faces the river. The river churns into snarling whitecaps, as it noisily threads the line of rocks that stretch across the head of the highly buffed and glossy cannon stand guard outside the door, as if in fear of some Viking attack from the river From around them and out of the deep porch of the castle there burst the Enforcers.

Boris has one of those modern and carbon-fibre walking poles and is quick to use it a quarterstaff to hack away at Jackie. Luckily he is able to slip past one of Boris's wilder lunges to reach into the porch and grab out a spiral, wooden alpenstaff that is part of the rambling clobber nestling there. The pair are now the far more evenly set and there is a fierce, pacey exchange of strikes between the quarterstaffs. The sounds of each blow go reverberating around the high peaks as Boris and Chan strike and counterstrike, block and parry. Boris stays groundside as his speedy rally of blows forces Jackie to leap high and duck low to be out of the way of the axing swings and thrusts from the Enforcer. At the last Jackie scores a rap across both of Boris's knuckles so that he drops the quarterstaff for Jackie to bat it away into the river. When the Enforcer, unthinkingly, grabs after the quarterstaff he is caught in the behind with a spank from Jackie and his quarterstaff; which sends Boris boosting off from the cliff edge to drop all the height of the falls.

Tohru, in the meantime, is being almost swept off of his feet: Ratso and Chow are each next to one of the cannon and bowling the shot piled up beside each of them directly at Tohru. The giant struggles to keep his feet as he has to make a dervish jig to avoid every cannonball that whirls around him. He lifts his feet high in clumsy and impromptu steps, as he staggers this way and that. Finn is right there to goad and prod the unsteady Japanese: in the chest, shoulders, arms and belly. Finn has Tohru reeling and almost toppling down hard onto the ground. The one thing which gives Tohru an opening and an escape is that Chow takes off in a flying leap at Jackie; the Enforcer making a substitution for the unfortunate Boris. Without half the number of distractions as before, Tohru is able to move and catch Finn by the scruff of his jacket; spinning the man about and off of his feet to plane into Ratso and take both of the Enforcers down. Tohru now advances steadily on the Enforcers; as they bustle upright and begin to retreat, every whit as steadily.

Ratso has taken Jackie cleanly by surprise and driven the Chan back and back with a storm flurry of kung fu. Now Jackie is at the edge of the river and then out into the river, onto the stones that form a hazardous natural path from one bank to the other. Ratso does not hesitate to follow him. They leap high in the air (flying up as if they are salmon leaping the stream) to drive kicks and blows at each other; then to land back on some other rock in a moment of infinite unsteadiness. Balancing on hands or one leg they pivot and gyrate to lash out from one rock to another. Then the entire battle of it and they nearly comes to a drowning halt: Jackie steps back from a rocketing Chow but slips to loose his footing and go skating away from the rock, on his back; taken off his guard by the sudden drop of Jackie, Chow lands on the merest edge of the stone and it crumbles away beneath him; to cast him out into the water. Desperate not to fall back, not go crack on the rocks or smack into the brack: Chow flings himself ahead and down so his arms and hands go either side of Jackie (as the Enforcer flattens himself down onto the Chan) and the archaeologist in need of some anchor grabs hold of Chow's jacket, to pin the man down.

For a much too long and uncomfortable moment the two hang their: balancing on a precipice and staring each other in the face. Then they gingerly and awkwardly help one another up, before each withdraws to put a space of rock between them. Words are spoken

_« That would not have been nice. I do not want to be a sock in a washing machine. What were we thinking of? »_

_« I was knocking your block off this block; is what. »_

Chow soars at Jackie in an absolute whirlwind of kicks, punches and chops that Jackie defends against and retaliates against but still is driven back: until the two are all the way across the stream and keeping up the combat on the far bank. On the castle shore the other Enforcers too are in too close a call with the river. Circling around and evading an intimidating Tohru has left Finn and Ratso out on the stones of the river. Tohru does not so much as attempt to chase but only makes it plain they have to get over or face him again. The pair of Enforcers struggle and juggle their way from one slippery foothold to the other, clinging onto each other like two toddlers not yet learnt how to walk. They wobble and hover on the edge of going over time after time but are nearly at the other edge and safe and okay to relax … almost but not quite and as they race each other to be first ashore their jostling has them both going over into a water-splash.

With all but one of his gang out of the picture: Tarakudo at last makes his entrance. He zips out from the edge of the castle and undulates out across the falls without a pause; a veritable watersnake. That is when Major Orpington too makes an appearance as he bursts out of his own frontdoor. He is a solid bullet of a man, short and broad with a ruddy complexion, gimlet eyes and not a hair on his scalp. He has on a combat trews of an iron and black camouflage pattern, a black tee and over that a buffskin, leather shooting waistcoat with oxblood patches at the shoulders and for pockets. He needs answers.

_« What the devil went shot past my window? Damnation! Naga in the river! Teach you the gunnery that my old regiment, The Buffs, taught me. »_

It seems that they all should have known better than to ignore some cannon on the doorstep of a retired artillery major. These are in full working order, hardly need priming and (in the hands of one Major Orpington) are easily able to take a fine and accurate snipe at Tarakudo. The oniwyrm drops off the edge of the falls and lands in the waters below like a leadweight, deadweight, shot buffalo-beast. The so incredible splash of his crash makes a full tsunami which has all of his gang sprawling along the line of the road like so many beached sardines. Jackie and Chow are swept apart and out of their continuing fight. The backwash even catches Tohru up by the castle and sucks him down into the watery depths. He staggers out downstream and now on the hillside bank with all others. Tohru has no care for where he is though; only for the three silvery, jittering fish which he pulls out of his tee. He sighs.

«_ I … hate… fish. … … OH! »_

The OH is for the most incredible sight in front of Tohru: the oniwyrm Tidal Wave has done centuries of erosion in a moment. It has eaten away a swathe of hillside. and inside are those very caves that Jackie sought.

Jackie takes a first glimpse into the cavemouth: it is full of all the wargear of Ancient Feudal Japan and all of it as black as pitch, except for the banners and insignia, there is an entire tableau of buff and carven shadowkhan engaged in martial arts. He is eager to be inside and studying; from the sight of things Boris and the others will make no troubles. They're not fit for anything now (not after the buffeting they have had); except to be scraped up, then whammed down onto a fishmonger slab. Tarakudo is another matter entirely, however, and a gout of flame has Jackie scuttling into the cave; not to explore but to survive. Whenever he pops his head out it is met with another blast of fire or ire from Tarakudo. To make things even less pleasant: in there, along with him, there is a flock of goats that has chosen to graze indoors, rather than blaze outdoors. They dash and crash about to, topple and perturb what has lain undisturbed for centuries. Whatever about that: such an upheaval is the saving of Jackie and his herd; as they flip over what he took for a purely dark target-board but is in truth a blazing silver mirror. With this hidden in a corner by the entry to the cave, Jackie rushes out and dares Tarakudo to do his worst and the snake is only too flaming keen to oblige. Instead of any crispy Jackie however, Tarakudo gets his own flame thrown back on him and scorches his way out of there along with his lackeys.

Exultantly Jackie waves to Tohru, who is a touch higher up the slope of the path, to come down and see what actually is in the cave. Whatever about Tohru being first to see the cave that was only from a distance off. For all that; Jackie cannot wait for Tohru and goes back for the Oni banner that he has already seen yet it is gone and only buff, unshaded rock shows where it has just been. Was he such a buffoon as to let Tarakudo or one of his goons slip into the cave, surely not, then who … or what. The goats! Does it count if the banner is made into a goatish buffet, while the charm still hold, Jackie is all at a loss; until he hears a yell from Tohru outside.

Jackie rushes out of the cave to stare up the rising path: to where Tohru stands with arms and body spread wide; to pen in a banner-lipping goat. The beast gives a bleat and shake and merely ducks between Tohru's wide apart legs. The giant makes to snatch the goat and the creature makes a play of dancing under both of Tohru's clenching fists and around and between his legs. Then the mischievous beast turns and runs back down the hill; only to meet a yelling rushing Jackie. All his efforts win him is to see the goat turn tail and run back up the hill again and past Tohru at supersonic goat-speed. Just a few steps up the path it stops and looks back at them with a teasing bleat. The Japanese giant is not taking defeat lightly though and throws himself into a wild spring … only to come down with a bellysmack of a thump on his face in front of the mocking billygoat.

Still and all: Tohru has snared a corner of the banner. He has won that much; so then why does it fill the giant with such horror: he is white, moaning and shivering on the ground, with his eyes rolled up in his skull and one hand taking a death grip on the banner. For all that; it is a curse that, moments later, Jackie cannot swear and Tohru cannot say if the banner has been vanished into a goat or been banished into a Shadowrealm. To add to it all there is the roar and thunder of cannon blasting into the hillside above the cave and bringing all of a hillside down to bury the treasure once more.

When back at the castle, and on the phone to Uncle, Jackie has much to say and much to ask. It seems the Major Orpington was all too worried about a horde of archaeologists tramping along by his river and his frogs; so he decided to close the season on the past. The other worry is to know when or if at all the vision that Tohru saw will be true. When the Japanese had one brief hold of that rag of banner he saw a scene which, to him, was pure from hell.

_A dark and baleful sky hardly lit by a tainted sun and the feverish tints of volcanoes crimsoning the air. One small army of every kind of shadowkhan everywhere: on the ground, atop the peaks, along the craggy flanks and even in the sky. The Shadowrealm and more shadowkhan than Tohru would care to imagine in his worst dreams. At the heart of this throng, of this arena, of this battle is the selfsame claw-and-hammer shadowkhan that Jade once half-ruled. It dominates the tiny figure of Jade, where she is cornered against a sheer rockface. Already a ladder of scarlet gashes runs from her neck to her navel and one arm hangs weakly and wrongly. All of this and the hammer-fist drawn high and ready to throw down destruction on Jade's eggshell body._

_That is all that Tohru saw and it is much and more than enough; neither he nor Jackie can raise much hope that Jade could have won out against this, but Uncle does not agree and rebuffs them soundly._

_« Aiyaaa! Jade won. Do not question Uncle. Uncle is chi wizard. Are you chi wizard? No! You are not. Uncle will show you. »_

Uncle will show them the bespelled photograph and the plague it is. There are Captain Black and his aide (simply trying to give Jade a good time at Melvinworld) but the picture is morphing into the unworldly: the balloon is an Oni banner, Melvin has become a chainsaw shadowkhan. and the girl has a leechkhan on her shoulder, as it it were a parrot. Jade herself is getting ever further from this world: eyes that belong in no human face, brands and scars upon her body, not any more the clothes of an urban monkey but the vesture of a Shadowkhan. For all that: small enough changes in the path of Jade's life but how much of it a mark upon her soul? Yet it is more than that which taints the Chan Clan with dread: the curved, Nihon, sword; held at a low arc in Jade's hands … with a saga of triumph and carnage writ in the blood sheen on the blade.

**o0O¥O0o A/N o0O¥O0o**

_**Don't none of ye omadhauns go looking for that village for your hols. Name is pure my concoction and hamlet itself only loose based on place I know on Spanish borders.**_


	17. A Home For Jade

_**«» A Home For jade «» — «» Jade In Khanate Chapter Seventeen «»**_

_**«» Shadowrealm Heartland «»**_

_**o0O¥O0o**_

_**«» Anticipation «»**_

Uuuurgh! Jade doubles over again; vomiting more fish and weeds out of her insides and back into the paddy-field. Her stomach clenches again and yet again: she swallows hard, clamps her mouth and presses her hands down firmly onto her convulsing belly. The rush of vomit fades to dribbles from her nose and mouth. Jade is coated in perspiration, her face is white, her hair trails down in limp strands, tears form in her eyes and her stomach throbs from continuing spasms. Jade sits back on her heels: gulping deeply, coughing raggedly and tasting the sour tang of bile. It is over and the best yet — she has kept down three-quarters of her breakfast.

This has been her life since she got back from that mountain library, since she chose Shadowkhan over Chan Clan. Jade knows Stormey is still bringing her the food haul, as always. Jade doesn't know why the food haul never reaches her. For as cute as Stormey is; a speaking voice would help greatly. Both the fish, and the vegetation, that Jade calls breakfast are all as warped and unhealthy as anything in the Shadowrealm. The fish are pink or green or black; pink as a burn, green as pus, black as bruises. Their flesh seems to fall off, even as they swim, and they turn to cinders at the slightest lick of flame. Their taste is what you might imagine from a half-rotten bird, dead from an oil spillage, and the only way to eat them is raw. Be that as may, Jade is always up at dawn, to catch her own breakfast-fish in the local waters. Jade has little choice about the dawn timing, being as the morning sun glares right into the cave, that she now calls home.

For all that, Jade likes it so, she would hate for any of her new friends to see her brought down to this. There are long moments, before Jade can trust her stomach enough to risk moving, but not a one goes to waste. Jackie's last advice to her rings through her mind: " _Victory is in the first step of the wise and defeat is in the last step of the unwise_" — it is her mantra. From where she kneels, Jade rakes over the terrain with all her heart and mind and senses. Jade means to forge this plateau into a weapon all her own. Once Jade feels safe to move, without chucking her guts, she tours the plateau. This is her very own elemental, personal and solitary initiative; to be ready for whatever is to come. In just the same way, Jade observes all of the shadowkhan (even those she calls her friends) to build her strengths out of their weaknesses.

The dawn hours are for Jade, when she knows she goes unseen and can slip back to Mortalands if she chooses. Food and family are strong temptations but she dare not. Jade has too little grasp of the time slip between the two worlds. She will not risk everything just by gambling on the timing. For all of that, she stays and makes the most of the time she has here. Jade usually gets an hour or two before most of the shadowkhan begin rousing (though she never can tell when the razorkhan will pop up). About then comes the formal and official start of her day, when Jade and her companions meet at Hatsuné's, for a tea ceremony. It is even less substantial than Jade's usual first attempt at breakfast, but at least it washes away the last of the vomit and the taste of bile. In truth, Jade has come to welcome the ceremony just for itself. She finds in it the same focus, discipline, bonding and grounding as in a solid kung fu drill with Jackie. She is glad of the touch of the familiar.

The rest of the day is given up to just such drills; to combat practice with her friends and her army. Not her whole army, of course, just the twenty in her personal squadron. Times are that Mugen, Hatsuné and Usagi will stand off to observe and instruct Jade as she faces off against some other. They also put in their turns at facing her and training her. Mugen is virtually made of swords which makes him the natural to teach Jade the bladecraft of her wakizashi; though there are times enough, when she has to face one of the others and learn to turn her blade against different bodies or different weapons. In a full and long day there are sessions and enough of sword-work mixed in amongst other lessons but it is the martial arts that are the other lessons and the most of the lessons. These are none of the Jackie kind; where he would stress the _arts_ in the martial for them it all _martial_ and the art of combat. All of the exercises, to polish Jade in speed, power, agility, flexibility, strategy and anticipation, only have the one goal of victory.

The utterly different nature of Jade's new friends and mentors is easily read in the mounting tally of bruises, burns, scrapes and slashes across Jade's skin; the times she is pounded into a daze or knocked senseless. They ask no quarter and give no quarter; driving Jade as hard as is possible without crippling her. To be sure she was a fighter when she took up this road, but it is only luck and wit that have kept Jade going; facing these trained and seasoned combatants she needs more, so much more. There is too, so very little time before her next duel, a matter of weeks. By tradition the duels take place at the full of the moon (even if not under the moon) but the timing of Jade's arrival in the Shadowrealms has banjaxed that. The space between her first and second duels is cut deadly tight. None of which is an excuse: her trainers would push Jade this hard even if there were a year between duels, it is how they are, it is how Jade is now.

Much of the practice happens on the narrow span of the rocky and unfenced arch over the lava falls. It robs Jade of all her advantage to leap, curve, evade, spin and dodge. Every moment, every action is distilled to the minute and the intense: of a total focus on your opponent, of a consummate reading of your opponent, of an utter grasp of your own capabilities and liabilities, of the exact, right, least and best action to take at every second. To know in every second what your foe may do, can do, will do and to know the same of yourself; to be able to pour all that you are into that one second to counter all that your enemy will do and then to change it all, in the split of second, as the tide of battle swirls. Jade learns from those who lived their lives as warriors and never have ceased since death. Under the heat of such practice, only a shade away from live combat, the little girl from Hong Kong is dying — dying like a phoenix and rising as a warrior.

For all of the day until dusk the whetting of Jade proceeds apace. The only brief halts are for Jade to avail of one mineral spring or another. The killing pressure of her training has Jade awash with sweat; she must replace fluids, vitamins and minerals. One good of the plateau is that it is as full of health-giving waters as any spa town. With the fall of the dusk there is the one good and filling meal of the day. Jade's new friends rejoice in bringing in delicacies from the regions of Japan that were their's when alive. Part of the curse of the Shadowrealms is the energy that nourishes the shadowkhan, it preserves them, it forbids them death and turns eating into a mockery. They have lost none of their local pride however and relish Jade's enjoyment of their offerings. It is the one thing that lets Jade build muscle, as exercise and diet burn away any surplus fat. With the meal done the official day ends as it begins, with the tea ceremony.

Jade is as free at the end of the day, as at the start, to choose her own path. In the gloaming, at the fall of the sun, Jade works through the kung fu drills that Jackie taught to her and she passed on to her own school dojo. Sometimes one, or another, or all, of her new friends join her. It can be that she is solo, but none of this matters. These exercises are her reminder of home, the one continuing bond with the life she had. It is Jade's promise to her dojo that she is keeping faith. It is Jade's promise to Jackie, Tohru and Uncle that they are not forgotten, that she will return. It is Jade's promise to herself that she is still the Jadester and will always be the Jadester. Promises or delusions? Who can tell.

**«» Alteration «»**

Jade would be smarter to put the Mortalands out of her mind - old habits are fatal here: acting as her trainers, her friends are her toughest enemies; they want Jade to be her best so they do their worst to her. It is none about rules or fairness but only about teaching her lessons she won't forget. Usagi combats Jade on the bridge and he swallows her. Jade comes out over the rice-paddy, for a messy splashdown, with Hatsuné dropping in from the sky, to press the girl under.

With both feet, plus all of the weight of an adult shadowkhan on her, Jade cannot find any escape from the pressure or the water. It is all too soon that her burning lungs have to take a gulp of air that isn't there. Her chest fills with water and Jade drowns, going limp and still. It is only at that, undeniable defeat, that her comrades pull her out, to revive her and lecture her. Jade won't forget what she's learnt today; as with all of her lessons she knows it viscerally. She'll never be caught so easily again by any sudden change.

No, not by any change: from that unexpected viewpoint, Jade catches sight of the sumokhan. He is sitting high up the slope of the plateau and plainly enjoying the spectacle. He is also enjoying the last of the food out of the last of the bags that Stormey fetched for Jade. The bag, like the so many bags of late, that never reached her. Now Jade knows what has been happening to her food haul and, even more, how Stormey must have been getting treated. Jade is in as much of a rage as she ever was with Maynard Munsen or any bully. Still half-drowned, weak and shaking Jade does her best to race up the plateau and confront Hirosaki. She doesn't get a yard before Mugen tugs her back, hard. The mantiskhan holds Jade tight and locks eyes with her, till the girl comes to her senses.

« Tch! Okay! Okay! I get it Mugen; I can't just go buttwhup on that heap of lard. It's all gotta be done by your rules but he so needs a Jadester lesson. Tubso there has been whomping Stormey way too much. »

Hirosaki sees he has been noticed and calls out to Jade in a deep and mocking voice.

« Oh Great Jade Khan; spare thy pitiful servant. Keep thy puissant might to smite yon enemy in the duel. It would be deeply regretful, if thou were to lose. Peradventure I would lose these tasty benisons. Win! Live! Serve me! »

Even in Mugen's tight hold Jade growls and nearly breaks free; yet Hirosaki just casts the sack of provisions over his shoulder and wanders out of sight. After long minutes, Mugen feels safe to let Jade go. The minute he does so, Jade catches up Stormey and gives the leechkhan a good talk.

« It's cool Stormey. Way not your fault. Mondocoolio all the stuff you got me but Uncle Jackie would so tell me to get my own snacks. Tch gotta stop being the lazy monster and see to myself. No more food hauls. Okay! »

Stormey casts (recently-made) eyes down in regret but nods in compliance. This all but breaks Jades links to home she cannot have food and she cannot have vacations. Jade hardly dares wander into the Mortalands by her ownself, for fear she will not be able to find her way back to this time, place and duty. Whatever about that, she hasn't forgotten or given up on her folks back home. Jade will always do her best to care for them, even at this far distance.

For all her heart yearns to watch and guard her Chan Clan she cannot do it all herself. Jade will hand that task to a female Jackie. Jade has got new powers, her own shadowkhan and (most of all) her eternal stubborness; this is more than enough to cave a way to pass a word Viper to watch over the Chan Clan and its concerns. Jade herself has given up any hope of returning to her family and playing guardain angel till this is over.

Till now, at least, some contact from Mortalands came back to Jade and nourished her humanity. At this crux the final link between Jade and Mortalands is entirely broken. All of Jade's existence, survival and very being are purely woven into the Shadowrealm.

_**o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**_

_**Okay ye cute hoors that or something like was always going to be the opening to this chapter. Only so, when one of ye went and praised how real my story was, well sure and wasn't that a challenge to ratchet it up a notch. Ye can thank AnKaKaHa12 for encouraging me to the graphic puke detail. Ah yeh and feck it: my own wonderful experiences too. Sad to say tis a drawing from life. **_


	18. Broken Jade - 2nd khan duel

_**«» Broken Jade: 2nd Duel «» —.«» Jade In Khanate Chapter Seventeen Eighteen «»**_

_**o0O¥O0o**_

_**«» Shadowrealm Heartland «»**_

**«» Altercation «»**

Weeks are passed, with Jade living in and on the Shadowrealm entirely, till it is time for the next of the duels, against Rotaku, the shadowkhan that Jade once shared with Valmont. The girl is just waiting to make her entrance to the arena and having a dialogue with Stormey, with herself too. That moment, in the last duel, when her own body gave up on her, has left a deep mark.

« Here I go again, Stormey. Buttwhup time; but what if it's mine? Tch I got to be roadkill lots of times with Uncle Jackie. No fuss; it was one hot rollercoaster. Sure I got beat n broke n wiped out but what a ride. Kinda different now; you guys are a killer meatgrinder. Dunno if make the grade. Duh, time I bought a clue, I got in the car, so I gotta take the brakes off. C'mon, Stormey, I've got mates betting on me. »

With that Jade steps out into whatever this combat will bring. For the first time in her life, she shys from herself and the battle to come; yet she isn't about to let anyone down because of her. Ogami (samurai shadowkhan and chief shadowkhan) starts the proceedings.

« Jade Khan the challenge is to you from Warlord Rotaku. He has the right. His fealty was once to you and the mask you bore. »

« Enough, Ogami Dodo! Let us be at it. I'll teach the human bug! Mortals have no place here! Yes! She'll learn the cost of insulting me with a half-mask. »

« Tch! Let the Jadester give you lessons! Time to begin class. — Hiyaaaa! »

Jade launches her onslaught, almost before she is done talking. A flying leap aims for the head of the crabkhan. He is fast and is blocking her, even as she is in the air, but this isn't the same Jade that Usagi fought. When Rotaku brings up his arms to block his head, Jade shifts the angle of her flight. Her foot strikes in and hard, just above the collar of his armour, the shadowkhan chokes at the blow to his throat. Before he can react, Jade is landing on the ground and springing up for yet another flying kick. Just as before, the speed of Rotaku blocks Jade, but she alters her flight path to get past his guard. He is covering his throat, so Jade takes a clean shot to his head. Thus it goes for the stretch of the first passage of arms: Rotaku has the edge for speed but Jade is on top with her initiative and adaptability.

Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa! — Hiyaaaa!

For so, if all the fight goes on in this vein, Jade is the walkover victor; it cannot be. Rotaku, at last, is able to catch Jade across the back with a claw and break the momentum of her winning streak. On the ground and on her feet, Jade is open and vulnerable, as the tearing pincer of Rotaku comes sweeping in, to cleave her apart. It is the end of Jade: she is hurt, she is hesitant, she is half as fast as the crabkhan … yet so — she moves even as he moves.

Some legacy of the time she wore the ebony mask gives Jade an instant of foresight, enough of a warning to anticipate and to evade. For so, not quite enough to dodge completely: the serrated edge of the pincer gouges a trench across her belly. This is the change of the tide: Jade was ascendant but now is desperate, she hangs onto that flash of prescience, as her only shield against being halved into nothing. Time and time again the deadly claw is a whisker away from ending her but never quite. It costs Jade a deep and scarlet tracery across the whole of her back and torso; yet still this is better than death.

The battle is exactly balanced: Jade lost her first and best chance, past recovery, but Rotaku has no more chance on making good, as things stand. Hence Rotaku throws a midstream change, to catch Jade out and wipe her out. The club-hand rushes in, to sweep Jade into the deadly pincer-hand and all that saves her is that nanosecond of intuition. Jade twists, ducks, leaps and all to keep out of the fatal synchronicity of club and claw.

Jade is tiring, perspiring, staggering and taking injury after injury. To be sure, Jade can work it to take no more than glancing blows, she is keeping free of a terminal strike longer than any other, yet her body is soaking up the hits and they hurt her and they weary her. Unless something changes, and changes soon, her second duel will be her last duel.

Jade cannot be any more lost, so she rushes into an entirely typical craziness. When the club-hand swings by, Jade grabs hold of it and gymnasts herself up to blast her two heels into the crabkhan chin. It jolts him and slows him; the fight makes another twist to where mortal and immortal are on a par. Jade uses Rotaku's own body as a pivot for her kicks against his knees, body and head but she keeps on taking the glancing blows from club-hand and claw-hand.

It is no longer any question of who can fight the most or strike the hardest but of who can last the longest and endure the most damage. Without the armour of a crabkhan soldier, in nothing but her all too soft human flesh, nobody is going to bet on Jade lasting any time. This proves only too true: as a blow catches Jade brutally on the left shoulder and crumples her to the floor. Rotaku is triumphant; he has shown this human upstart. He might have: if it was anyone except Jade; it takes more than one bad strike to halt her now; all she does is fall to her back, curl up, blast her springloaded legs into his knee with enough force to stagger. Then Jade is rolling between the crabkhan's legs and taking hold of his sash from behind.

Jade may not have the strength and bulk of an adult but she has her own fierce power and Rotaku is already unbalanced; it is enough for Jade to bring the crabkhan smacking down onto his back. Jade pounces and strikes at her first chance; taking Rotaku's face down to a ruin, with all of the kung fu she has learnt from Jackie and her friends. The games Jade used to play with the Enforcers are patty-cake to the girl in this arena.

That is yet nothing to a shadowkhan who has been fighting all his adult life and beyond. The claw lashes out, in a hyperfast wounding, that opens Jade up from navel to neck. In almost the same moment, Rotaku is pivoting on the ground. to slam the club-hand against Jade's skull, hard enough that she loses teeth, her skull rings and the world spins around her. No amount of courage will do here, that is the kind of strike that cuts your legs entirely out from under you, where your body shuts down, whatever ye desire. Jade has cause to give thanks that her friends were so brutal in training her, had they not been, this is where she would fall.

Not to fall; that is all Jade can manage. Rotaku knows it; the girl took a powerful strike at him but experience told. He knew it would: this is the final dance, the pointless dance. Jade is bleeding out from numberless cuts to her body, even before Rotaku gave her a coroner's slice along the length of her body and nearly knocked her head off her shoulders. To stay on her feet at all is just about the limit of what Jade can manage. Rotaku can finish her now, this instant, but he is so far above Jade that he is going to make a play of her first.

The club-hand batters in to knock a reeling Jade from one side of the central arena to the other. The claw-hand arcs in to slice through Jade's raw and yielding flesh, even as it spins her like a top. The duel is over and for, oh so many brutal minutes, Jade is nothing but a torture-toy for Rotaku: her left arm is shattered, her chest hammered till she coughs blood, her face peels under the claw and scarlet ribbons thread down her limbs and hatch her torso.

Rotaku had a score to settle and he is taking payment in spades. Jade is a corpse on legs and Rotaku is exultant … Rotaku is a fool. Rotaku, Ogami, and all the shadowkhan measure Jade by the commonality of the mortals that they see and they are wrong. Their world splits between commoners and warriors but Jade is neither. She is a scrapper and Rotaku has lost; he has been fool enough to think that knocking Jade out is victory.

This is not Jade: if she isn't dead she is fighting and she knows what she has to do now — the cost is nothing, so long as she wins. Rotaku sees Jade trip and reel and pause before him; he takes the opening, batters her, breaks her ribs and sends her flying. Jade tucks and rolls in the air. like any acrobat, to come to a wobbling stand against a pinnacle of rock. She has not even chance to get her breath before Rotaku is powering down on her, his club-hand smashing in to destroy her.

Jade is not there: she has rolled and dodged, so all of the force of the shadowkhan blow drives into the spike of rock. It shakes and collapses under the impact: burying, trapping and defeating Rotaku. It seems as if Jade has won by a pure stroke of luck; not so, she knew that this one craggy tooth had a split in it. She had given Rotaku that opening, let him smash her chest till she coughed blood, just so she could decoy him into a trap, which she had seen weeks before. It isn't any of enough though: Rotaku has lost but he will not accept it and says such.

« Runty, human, bitch! Piss on you! This craven foolery isn't a win. Beat me yourself or not a-damn-tall. »

It takes all Jade has to stay on her feet and talk calmly.

« Uhhhh. There's no menu in this café. You guys are cool with a sword so, duh, if kung fu makes everything into a sword. »

« Pox on you for a cretinous, sperm-stain! I refute you! »

Jade is raging: for all that she has endured, for all that she has done, for all that she is the only one still on her feet and moving: this shadowkhan is calling her on her very mortality. It is enough, more than enough, to rouse the shadowqueen, nestling inside of Jade. With but a thought, Jade has her wakizashi in hand. It appears from nowhere and the girl's body raises the blade high over the beaten but yet defiant form of Rotaku. Who can say whether it is Jade or the shadowqueen that rules … as the blade guillotines down to cleave the head from the body of Rotaku. There is no going back from this: Jade has won another duel but this is no Disney fairytale — a body lies at her feet and it is she who has executed it.

**«» Affirmation «»**

More yet than this, Mugen steps forward with an axe; he is always the one to have the tools and the obsession. Not so long before the combat: Mugen, Jade and the others had faced off over what she wanted, what they wanted and what was needed to keep Jade alive and well in the Shadowrealm. Jade is as close to starvation as makes no difference and now Mugen believes he has the answer … what better way for a beaten enemy to serve the victor? The idea is made clear to Jade and she will not have it, will not let Mugen do it.

« Duh! Back up Mugen; you don't get to make salami outta my win. Tch! Win a crown and it keeps biting. Any carving needs done; the Jadester is gonna do it herself. »

With that, Jade does, indeed, take the axe from Mugen. To be sure, her friends could be there to support her, guide her and instruct her but this is not so. Though there is an audience of nearly two hundred, not a one of them says a word or makes any move, as Jade, by her ownself, is left to dismember Rotaku.

Axe and ground and girl are well covered in blood, by the time that Jade's weary and aching body has carven Rotaku down into his parts. This is enough for the field of shadowkhan: they have seen the battle, seen the outcome and seen the consequence. More than battle, more than conquest, this has given them the measure of Jade None of them feel any need to stay through the fallout: as Jade is shown how to cook and preserve the fallen body of her slain opponent.

Stormey has only ever been an onlooker in all of this (as little a part of it as the razorkhan who always seems to be watching) but now the tiny creature is raging — at such a twisting of Jade. In riposte to the pressures on Jade, Stormey ejects a talisman into the girl's hand. Still weak, she peers at it blearily and mutters.

« The sh-sh-sheep … so … knew … there … was … another … one … but … why … hide … »

Jade gets no further. The razorkhan launches off of a crag; slams the talisman flying. Usagi barely catches it. before it is lost to the wilds. For once, Mugen drops all of his charms and lays into the interloper.

« Fool! Fool! Fool! You throw away our best opportunity. The talisman guarantees our victory. It is chance; it is hope it is success and freedom. Sweet, sweet, sweet liberty! Centuries, centuries we have waited. Are you blind! we have the keys to our prison. We only have to turn them. You! You! You! Akita! Have you lost your last wits? »

Akita, the razorkhan, is no more disturbed by Mugen than a glacier would be by a matchstick. Her voice slices the air like the edge of the deadliest katana, with a crystal clarity that sheers through the mellow voice of Hatsuné and the deeper voices of the men. Akita is stillness incarnate, but for lightning flashes of her talons, to score her points. She gestures at talisman, at Mugen, at Jade.

« Tssss. Key? Not comrade? Mugen are you sacrificing honour for liberty;? Trading her soul for your freedom.? Are you deserting Jade for your own flitting? See what life you're choosing? Samurai or Mercenary. Lord or Bandit. Comrade or Betrayer? »

Mugen brandishes the talisman high in one claw.

« Akita. Akita. Akita. Talisman makes Jade unbeatable, makes her queen, makes her the ruler to break our curse. She is willing, she is happy, she is our path from here. »

Mugen whirls and spreads his arms wide to embrace the all of the hellish terrain. The crabkhan stalks over to the implacable razorkhan, facing her down.

« Why question it. Jade was my friend first. Jade is my friend last. But herself, yourself, the talisman taint, everything falls, falls, falls before the opening door. Akita you hate, hate the chains here. You'll be the first, the first to run; however the walls crumble. »

Mugen thrusts the talisman into the face of Akita, who budges not a whit, save but to chuckle softly.

« No running for this Kenjutsu. Never, not now. I'm scenting a blade for honing and seeing fighting ahead. »

« Excitable Akita. Mugen speaks a truth but mayhap not wisdom. To lay a path of feathers at the feet of Jade is to pave our royal road to welcome darkness; truly the kindest knife kisses keenest. Tis our truth yet not her own. Call me not so cruel as to offer the lure of velvet to feet set on a path of flint »

« Tch! Still here guys. You telling me that the cardigan on legs is the steroid talisman that is gonna make me a worldbeater? Duh! Leave that bleater in the vault. »

« Ummm, that is only, ah true in Mortalands, Jade Khan. It is very, erm, powerful here. I would be very, ah, happy if you, erm, used it. Then you, uhhhh, could not be defeated or, ah, hurt. »

Stormey sure lives up to name, this one talisman is brewing up enough of a storm that Jade can see all her friends coming to blows over it and over what she should do with it. Jade is drowning again and now she must rescue herself and all of her coterie, before they fracture to shards.

« Tch it's cool you're looking out for me. Stormey, Mugen you're the bomb! Duh; but I gotta stand on my own feet; not ride a ewesless ewe. Stormey, you better round up that sheep. That's my merit badge and I don't get it till I make shadowqueen. C'mon guys time to remodel the Jadester. »

All of her time, nursemaiding her impromptu school dojo, has given Jade a surprisingly deft touch at gang dynamics. She is more fit to be shadowqueen than any understand, but yet, she faces the same barrier she always faces and Akita (the razorkhan) voices it.

« Tssss! Weak, little girl! Remodel putty and it is still clay. »

« Duh! Who died and made you seifu »

« Yes: better this Kenjutsu than your too caring friends. See how they're gentling Jade and sparing Jade. Tea ceremonies and court dances are making Jade a princess not a warrior. See what life you're choosing. Keeping safe is keeping Jade the same little girl. »

« Tch! I'm not any weak little girl; I'm Jackie's niece. Figure you got a better cheat sheet than Uncle and my pals; show me! »

« Yes: I'm seeing your life at dawn. I'm seeing your life daily. The blade of your spirit is wearing out the scabbard of your body. See what life you're choosing: remaining mortal or rescuing your friends. You're standing on the bridge and must retreat or advance. See: the brightest lightning is in the fiercest storm. Yes: the harder the hammering the keener the blade. »

Akita darts forward, to whip out a clawed hand and spear one talon under Jade's chin. She tips the girl's head up, until they are staring into one another's eyes.

« See Jade: you're promising but you're wasting yourself; holding onto who you've always been. Yes: keep on this way and you're never matching any shadowkhan. Least of all a swordmaster like me. »

Akita paces backwards and bows to Jade. — « This Kenjutsu is challenging Jade. »

The razorkhan whips off her hood and flings it away, to burn in the nearest lavastream. She has a foxy diamond of a face and is pretty in a sharp way. Three scars run down each cheek, to form a vee pointed to the mouth. They extend her smiles and deepen her frowns. It is all very human but for a few details: the glowing red eyes, blue skin and the curving spiral of a horn, that sweeps up from her forehead, like an ornate hairstyle.

« Yes Jade: here we are, don't turn away now, we are the warriors. The time will come when you will have to rise above the rest and prove yourself. Your spirit never dies but flesh betrays it. See now, take schooling from me till you're fit for challenging and I shall be your next opponent. »

« No, No, No! Stay with us Jade. Akita is the bladesmith and the blademaster. You are nothing, nothing to her, only a sword for her art. We're your friends, we'll make you the best, the best. And without risking you. She will work you dead, dead, dead. »

« See now: they're cheating you by not risking you. Yes: staying a chick in the shell will keep you safe but then you're never becoming an eagle, not unless you smash the egg. Yes: working you dead! See! This soul. It will be dying and a warrior will be rising. See though, there is no halfway, if you're coming with me you're becoming a warrior … or a corpse. »

« Mugen. Akita. Words need not fall like rain. Jade is sun to our moon; let her choose her eclipse. »

« Tch! Been hugged by death lots here. You guys are aces; teaching me the steps to keep outta hospital. But I'm so not on tune. Gotta get the whole dance down right, if I'm gonna do good by you guys. Dead and lost trumps being a trophy. Sayonara guys … see you at the disco. »

_**o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**_

_**When ye read about how a punch can cut your legs from under you … trust me tis a hateful feeling when your own body plays traitor and drops you to the ground from one bad punch. Bleh. Try it so; run up against a gang of yobs in the small hours and the emergency services not to give a damn. Nothing more lonely than half-conscious, at two in the morning, flat on a sidestreet, knowing A+E has writ ye off. **_

_**Call me a spalpeen but that speech of Akita about We Are The Warriors is mostly copypasta of the Nightcore "Warriors" by NIghtcoreReality. Every time I tried to write the text the lines kept divebombing my head so I let them in.**_


	19. Jade Deserted - 1st sand duel

_**«» Jade Deserted «» — «» Jade In Khanate Chapter Nineteen «»**_

_**«» Shadowrealm Heartland «»**_

_**o0O¥O0o — A.N— o0O¥O0o**_

_**My Halloween gift to any crazéd readers of this here fiction: the latest and darkest chapter.**_

_**Ye were warned early on of what this fic contained and adventures don't always end well.**_

_**So don't any of ye be squealing when ye find what I've done to Jade.**_

_**This is edited version - added a bit to mountain pass section.**_

_**o0O¥O0o — Dawning — o0O¥O0o**_

« Dunk that basketball. » Jade growls, as she rolls over on her side.

She'll get no more sleep this morning though, nor rest for a long time coming. She can bid farewell to the dubious comforts of her makeshift bedding. The ocherous light of the ailing sun floods the cave (which she calls her home in the Shadowrealm) and prods her awake to face another unworldly day. The hollow in her gut comes from more than hunger; the danger of this day is more than she ever would have planned to face back with the Chan Clan.

To be sure Jade never shirked risk and hazard but was ever the first to rush headlong in. Yes she would be the first to rush in and then come crashing against her limitations but she never heeded this nor took count that she must take account of the stretch of her abilities. No, she never did that, as it was only ever her own self she was throwing into the balance. It is all changed now: she may not yet be Queen of the Shadowkhan but already she feels the crown rest heavy on her brow and the cloak of responsibility press into her shoulders.

She'd gone running into the Shadowrealms to claim her title, raise an army of mindless warriors and then storm the Demonplane to retrieve the talismans. That was not what she found nor what had happened: for the Shadowkhan were far more than zombie ghosts; they were the souls of the warriors of Old Japan under curse. Till they achieved deeds of glory they never could win final rest and (once the Oni came to rule them) all their deeds as Shadowkhan were heinous.

Their one solace was the freedom they'd lately won: the Oni had ruled by virtue of having beaten the champions of all the Shadowkhan Tribes, Shendu and Jade and all had but ruled by the secondhand power of the Oni Masks. With the Oni defeated and banished the Shadowkhan called none Overlord and they were not about to let an upstart child claim that right. Being herself Jade would not take NO and found a way to claim her army.

The kick was that the army began to claim her. It was just as it was with Maynard Munsen: once Jade was victor and found her opponent in need she could never turn away. With a breaking heart she had run to the aid of Clan Usagi, even as it meant running from the Chan Clan. More yet than this: she knows now that the Shadowkhanate live in dread of being claimed and doomed by yet another evil conqueror, just as they live in hopes of some noble inheritor who will break their curse by leading them aright. Whatever about that, it is too high and heavy a magic for her to reach for or for her to carry. This is a task for a hero like Jackie Chan … a hero like Jade Chan; so the Shadowkhan claim.

Jade is trapped (more firmly than by any villainous plot) by the expectations of her new-made friends within the Shadowkhan. Her childhood is being cut away from under her: no more the bright and thrilling moment-by-moment rollercoaster ride of adventure but a need to look ahead, plan, consider and take the hard road or else let down those counting on her. In the aftermath of yesterday's victory she'd glibly agreed to go off for training with the razorkhan. This dawning, she rose with the understanding of all that meant sinking into her: she is sundered from the Chan Clan and now she must be sundered from this yet other family she has made here.

There is more yet that Jade must do: she must care for her own body, it is more than her who counts on it now. For all of the bullying it means, Jade no longer allows her friend Stormey (the leechkhan) to get her pickings from Mortalands. That has forced her into eating the fish and foliage of the paddyfields but it is that vile and unhealthy that she normally vomits up more than she keeps down and is so ashamed she only eats unseen at dawn.

Yet so, the Shadowkhan yesterday goaded her on to carve up her slain foe and now that meat has been already cooked and preserved in the fierce mineral pools and smokes of this mountain plane. Jade lays the portions of cloudy, blue meat out in front of her and stares at them with intent revulsion and confusion. Pushing them around on the leaf that forms a plate she considers.

« Ewwww! That's a person. That's Rotaku. Like he was alive and fighting me yesterday. I so don't wanna be some kind of cannibal. How am I meant to chow down on him? Duh helloooo! … I'm gonna be some kind of dead, if I don't. »

Jade shuts her eyes, scrunches her nose, puts the smallest morsel into her mouth and swallows it entire. Her face crinkles in automatic disgust at the vileness of her diet but it clears … as she gets that it really doesn't taste so bad. In truth, this feed is making her feel better, warmer, stronger and more herself than anything she has yet had, since being caught in amongst the shadows. Jade slows, begins registering what she is eating: seeing, smelling, tasting and enjoying the meal.

It is all too tempting and easy for her to stuff herself but she looks ahead to know she has an all too limited supply. The shadowqueen within Jade has another view: the supply is as unlimited as are the shadowkhan. Fortunately, for everyone. there is more of Jade inside Jade than there is of shadowqueen; at least so far. It is Jade her own self who roots about to find some sour-sweet and juicy candies for a dessert; they are perhaps the most delicious item she has ever tasted — eyeballs.

With her simple appetites met, Jade would usually roam the terrain and strive to turn it into a weapon for herself. For all she rages at the sun, these early and unpeopled hours save her much embarrassment and give her much opportunity. On this dawning (to a new twist in her life) Jade chooses to practice her katas first. She has by now hacked one of the local saplings into an impromptu practice block.

Morning and night now she runs through her katas: the ones Jackie caught her, the ones she teaches her dojo, the ones learnt from the Shadowkhan and the ones with her blade. She is no kid (reluctantly forced into the practice of her musical scales) just going through the motions but a fighter gone astray and keeping faith with her mentors, her pupils, her past and her allies; by constancy to their shared discipline.

The usual first discipline of her day is the tea ceremony officiated at by the batkhan Hatsuné and shared by Jade, along with, Mugen the mantiskhan and Usagai the squidkhan. That ordinarily marks the start of Jade's morning but there is a surprise for her on this day: Akita the razorkhan is there too and playing her part.

Jade would be not just surprised but astonished too; if she did but know that all of her close companions had been awake at the dawn and veiled in shadow: to watch and see how Jade would ready herself, to know how Jade will conduct herself when she believes she is by herself. Her mettle is their vital concern.

Usagi is the one to make things as plain as his stumbling tongue can.

« Ummmm, Jade Himei, you know how you, uhhhh, dethroned Rotaku yesterday. So that clan must, erm, pick a new chief. As you are the, ah, conqueror, you must be there for the, errrr, enrolment. Normally you would, uhhhh, go by the common roads but you, ummmm, need exercise. Akita is, ah, going to take you through the, erm, Hinterlands and train you. There is no time there, so take as long as you, ah, need. »

The evening before all of those who openly bet on Jade were in fierce disagreement: all wanted to see change but some wanted change at any cost (even at the cost of Jade), some wanted to play fair with Jade and others only cared for the warrior she might be. Over the long night that has passed, the all of them have come to accept that Jade is the key to change of some kind but it is better to hone that key as finely as can be, before fitting it to any lock, and they all are willing to gamble that they will break the key in the forging of it … that the trials they intend for Jade may be the end of Jade.

It is hard to fault them: from their birth and all the centuries till now they have been raised and have lived as chiselled warriors, how can they offer Jade any less than the greatest challenge and chance. Yet so, they equip her with a pair of tanto, of knives in the same pattern as the sword she already bears. One is sheathed onto each thigh, while her blade is slung across her back. It slants from left shoulder to right hip, with the hilt lowermost and making for an underarm draw. This is all the shadowkhan feel that Jade needs, as they see her off with much good wishes but no further offerings.

_**o0O¥O0o — Dayfare — o0O¥O0o**_

Akita leads Jade towards the rearing wall of sheer mountain that edges the back of the plateau. She skips into a tiny cave and Jade follows, to discover a path inside that comes out onto the mountain face high above the plateau and the caves. The narrow track wends onwards: higher and further into the peaks and Akita marks a steady pace along it: one that can easily be kept up, for all of the long day's trek.

The pace surely is easy for Akita, as she rattles ahead: betimes on the path, betimes on the precipices that tower above or drop away from the path; like a spider-scorpion she is entirely at home with this. It isn't at all so for Jade: one fair meal cannot undo weeks of starvation, least of all when Jade has been in a killing battle only the day before; one which has left her with a busted arm and ribs, besides all the lesser damages she's collected.

The path is nothing of a help either: being that whatever rock it is made of is as keen as the whetted wind and slices into even the toughness of Jade's bare feet. Hard as it is, to keep on with a firm foot on a road that is your very enemy, Jade soon has to face a fight not to slip on her own blood. Whatever about her values, Jade is no martyr and raises protest after several draining and taxing hours on this hard road.

« Hey Akita! When do we hit the truckstop? The Jadester needs fuel. »

Akita halts and whirls round to face Jade and tips the crest of her head back along the road.

« Yes! Much victuals. Back yonder. »

The words sting and stun as if they're lighting and Jade freezes; as a thunderstorm of doubts and dares batters her mind and heart. In the end of it all there is only one response she can give.

« Tch! No way! No reverse gear on me. »

« Haaaah! » Akita breathes « Hungering for more than food? That is promising. »

The razorkhan springs down the rockwall, to land in front of Jade and taps the girl on the head with a talon, as if sounding Jade for ripeness.

« Yes: the makings of a fine blade. No dallying Jade; race Akita to the summit. »

Jade's eyes bug wide, her mouth drops in shock, and her mind races. _— Is Akita mad? Wanting her to race here, now and how she is. Okay the shadowkhan isn't wearing a mask but her poker face is as good as one. No clues there. Well duh, she's done plenty of running with Jackie. Go Jade! —_

« Tch, hard cookies, I'm the speedster. Duh, but no cheating, you've gotta stay on the path. »

Jade poises herself and turns, looking for Akita to join her and start the race. Yet so, the shadowkhan makes no move to race and is exploding with sharp, barking laughter. Words huff out of her.

« No! … No racing … not for … Jade. …We don't … want you falling … down … dead. »

Akita regains her composure and puts things to Jade more clearly.

« Haaaah Jade is a dolt. See: your spirit is pushing your body past any limits. Yes but that's making you a true ingot; and worth caring for. You're earning my regard and I'll be waiting, at the crest of the hill. This kenjutsu is promising to make Jade into a fine blade; so long as you're surviving. »

« Grrrr! You tricked me. What kinda seifu are you? Seifus so don't cheat their pupils! »

Jade rushes forwards, to batter her fists upon Akita, as the girl rages at being gulled.

« This kenjutsu is doing. »

Akita responds and stretches out to rake her talons lightly along Jade's sides; tickling the girl until she crumples, bonelessly onto the ground. By the time that Jade has found breath enough to get up and look around, Akita is at the far bend of the path. The only good of it is that Jade has been given space enough to make the journey in her own time.

Concession indeed, from the implacable Akita, to let Jade set her own pace. Yet so: the girl makes nothing of it and forges on as before, too prideful to admit any weakness. For all of that, as the hours pass, as the distance lengthens, as the path turns rougher and steeper so too does Jade falter and fall, ever more often. With hunger and thirst, exhaustion and dehydration, from the pure pain and damage her body suffers: Jade falls time and again then struggles up to stagger on then fall again. She is barely aware of walking, falling, rising, battling; she is but half-conscious; a zombie automaton.

When Akita calls back and points out a mountain deer below them and tells Jade to strike it down, the girl has her sword out and herself plunging over the edge of the cliff to slice the head pure off the beast and the deed entirely done before her wasted self is even aware of her actions.

« Oh! Bambi! I did that?. Sheesh what next? Are we gonna barbecue it? »

« No: we'll be finding food ahead, so we're not spoiling the meal with fire, not if we're not carrying it. Yes, it's best like this and right for you to take what you kill as you're killing it and when you're needing it. See Jade you're the top predator, so you've got to be respecting your prey and all the others living off the spoils that you're leaving. Yes, that is a proper balance. »

Not so many days gone, Jade would have turned from this, yakking her guts out, yet not so now: she has to win out to help her friends out and she will drive herself to the uttermost to do so. Under Akita's instruction Jade drains out the beast and swallows down the yet warm blood, she dismembers it and extracts the barely stilled heart. With teeth that are more a legacy of the shadowqueen than the schoolgirl, Jade consumes the raw meat of her kill.

With that done Jade is refreshed and charged with a new burst of life and fortunately so, as her plunge down the cliff has left her with many turns of the path to rewalk. Whatever about that, Jade is energised to keep up with Akita for many hours and miles further. Not for forever though: most inevitably her aching, tiring, struggling and crumpling body eventually falls behind, despite all of her proud and obdurate efforts.

Dusk is falling before Jade drags her failing body up the last slope of the path, up the final curve, to find Akita set below a high peak to the left of the track. Directly in front of them the trail winds between two arching and curving tusks of some ancient and gargantuan beast that forms a gateway to whatever lies beyond. The path falls away immediately past the tusks and Jade cannot see what lies there.

Akita is perched on a boulder, as still as the rock itself. One hand is stretched out, with the talons splayed and a splendid butterfly perched on each one. The shadowkhan is observing them steadily but, as Jade arrives, so too does Akita flick out her hand and watch the creatures flutter away.

« Tssss now they know I'm not some new tree made for them. Yes that's the natural order, every being knowing its place and fitting its place without thought or effort. See now: us people are luckier and unluckier than that; we can go choosing our roles but we have to work at filling them. Yes: that's what you'll be doing from tomorrow but for tonight we're only trying the gateway, if you're passing then we'll find ourselves food and rest over there."

Akita sweeps her arm behind her, to indicate the opening. There is an indistinct fog crowding into the gateway and spreading in a line, all along the range of peaks. Akita never once takes her intent gaze of Jade, as she tests the girl.

« Yes: the Hinterland is nearly alive, it's offering many trials and this is the first test: choosing who it'll let past. No: that's wrong, the first test was how I was pressing you all day and yet you're still here before sundown. »

Akita lunges forward, to tower her full height over the girl, as she places clawed hands upon Jade's shoulders and stares down at the frail, young, mortal.

« No but that is nothing to what is waiting for you, past this last quiet night. We'll be forging your body and skills to match your spirit, or else we'll be destroying you, if your body fails. Haaaah you will become a shining blade; or else, crumble to nothing. »

In her enthusiasm Akita whips Jade up bodily, to hold the girl high overhead, and stare up at Jade, as if she is some golden cloud in the sky. All at once Akita shakes Jade so roughly it makes the girl's teeth rattle and has her gasping for breath.

« Yes, but before the shaping must come the breaking. See Jade: for now and for always I'm offering you pain, struggle, suffering and damage for body and soul. No! A grub cannot become a butterfly without shattering the chrysalis. »

Suddenly Akita changes her grip and Jade drops down between the shadowkhan's talons, only to be caught and held again, with feet still dangling high above the ground. Jade is eyeball to eyeball with the red and ancient suns of Akita's eyes. They burn with the fierce passion and desire of an artist dreaming of a new masterwork.

« I've worked with every mettle and metal for making warriors and weapons. Yes: Jade shall be both those and more. But no, I've not worked on humankind for centuries passing. Tssss mortal flesh is weakling flesh. Jade! This can be your beginning but it may be your ending. Choose. »

The shadowkhan eyes dim to the fading embers of fading hopes. Akita releases Jade abruptly, letting the girl fall and tumble to the ground. Jade picks herself up with a shrug and stands, with arms crossed and leg braced, to confront Akita.

« Tch! Think I'm gonna run for the milkshake bar and leave my buds sucking empty straws? Duh! I know what's back there. [thumb-jerk downhill] I wanna know what's up here. »

Jade surges forward, up the path and through the arch. She gasps, as her body is plunged into an absolute ice-bath and all the heat flees her body, even as her eyes and ears shut off to deny her all sights and sounds. Jade is in an utter dark and cold void; stripped of all sensation or even awareness of her own body. The moment lasts forever and for no time at all; then she is through and looking back up the path at the gateway, that she has just got through. Akita is by her side and it seems both of them have passed whatever test the gate pressed on them.

« Mondocoolio! A magic door. »

_**«» Shadowrealm Hinterland at Duskfall «»**_

Jade takes a moment to exult and then turns to see Akita already making her way down the narrow track as it zigzags down the slope on this side of the mountain. Immediately below Jade, however, is an easy slope leading down to a patch of ivory sand at the foot of the mountains. Jade is delighted and rushes for it.

« Yeeees! A foot spa. Mondocoolio. »

« NO! HALT! CEASE! » This from Akita but far too late to stop Jade ploughing up the sand.

Jade is upon the darksome yellow sands and the grains are puffing up, rising and spiralling into the air about her. None of the grains are falling back to the ground though; they hang there and solidify to take shape all the way around Jade. They make vaguely humanoid figures of pale and washed-out tints; their flesh is jaundice hued and their features no more than dark smudges upon their faces. The every single one of them towers above Jade, at four or five times her height.

She knows each and every entity here. There are the guys from Section Thirteen who held her down or back when she tried to rescue Jackie or go on any mission. Captain Black and Jackie are here with their eternal frowns and refusals to let her go on missions or be an agent. Hsi Wu as demon and as child is present but he can no longer fool her that he values her. Tohru, Ratso and Hak Foo show themselves, as unreachable and unbeatable as they've always been to her. Maynard Munsen appears, to remind her just what a shrimp she is. Even the red headed chef (who tossed her around as easily as a doll) is there. Monstrous dopplegangers of every being that Jade has ever faced, who have ever made her feel small, confront her now.

« No way! What is this? » Jade calls out to Akita, who is keeping a careful distance from the sanded area.

« See Jade: you're facing the ultimate challenge, the Hinterland is drawing on all of your fears. Yes: by running headlong, Jade is catching herself in the final test of the Sand Arena. Yes and much too long before being ready. »

« It's the qualifying test of the Hinterland, yes and Jade is rushing into it without any preparing. No: you shouldn't be facing this without long training. See how it's taking all your fears, doubts and memories and making them solid, to go challenging you. »

« Tch! Not this Jadester. I'm not playing with any ghosts; I'm outta here. »

Jade storms to the nearest edge of the sandy floor and all the others make way for her. She reaches the verge and steps out … to find her very next footfall carrying her back into the arena, just at the opposite side. Jade veers left and cuts the corner to blast at the arena edge with a full speed run; she bursts out and goes flying ahead; back into the arena at the mirror corner.

Jade gets crafty and walks backwards over the rim of the arena and finds herself reversing back into it at the converse rim to her exit. Jade pauses and mutters to herself; it is now clear why her opponents make it easy for her to escape; they know she cannot and are happy for her to wear herself out trying. Yet so, Jade has one last dice to throw: she runs at one edge with all her force and launches into a flying kick.

« Dirty feet! Smackdown! » Jade yells, as she soars.

It is no more successful than any other escape bid; yet her flying return fires her solidly into the face of Hak Foo and takes him out. That was all Jade wanted: to give up on hopeless escape and start the battle on her own terms. With the height of these giant ogres it is a long fall and a hard impact for Jade, but she bounces to her feet and turns to face her next opponent. Yet so, Jade isn't quite steady on her feet, not after her rough landing, and is easy meat for the chef and his cleaver; it sheers along her arm to carve a deep-biting and bloody trail.

« Grrrr! I'm not salami. » »

These phantoms can hurt Jade for real and seriously too. She gets the point all too painfully well but it doesn't slow her in leaping forward to headbutt the redheaded chef in the belly and drop him low. Just as with Hak Foo, once an enemy is brought down and beat, they puff back into the sand they came from. Yet so, this leaves a worn, exhausted and injured Jade to face down a small army when she is but just done with the ordeal of Rotaku and the ordeal of the journey to this fearsome place.

« Chowdown on that, burger jockey. »

With the chef down Jade rolls to her feet and awaits the next challenger, which is Drago breathing fire at her. Jade ducks out from being a crispy critter and rolls to her feet, as she has done so often after taking a knockdown from some villain or other in mortalands. This time though, she rises up to find herself confronted by the very doppleganger of the Akita who is still perching steadfastly outside the barrier.

The shock and confusion of this both baffle and slow Jade enough for Akitayomi to take all too many reddening slices out of the girl's flesh. Jade is losing blood fast and dizzying from weakness but sharpening to awakeness under the lash of pain. She has not so much as gathered herself to make an effective attack or avoidance, when one of Akitayomi's sickle hands curves inwards and bites damagingly deep into her left side. Jade lurches away from the assault, she uses the impact-force (that comes with the gashes) to propel herself out of this danger zone.

Jade is clear of Akitayomi but her evasion skids right into Chui and a back-breaking, rib-cracking bear-hug from that dark-chi warrior. Only the fortune of the downward heft of her wakizashi lets Jade draw that blade and cut into the orange flank of her attacker. He drops and vanishes, while Jade simply drops, to be kicked hard in the spine even before she hits the ground. Her wakizashi drops from her hand and the blade clatters to the ground, as her body jolts under this new assault.

Captain Black has blasted her through the air, right into a shattering blow to the face from Jackie. She crashes to a halt and slumps to the ground, as if she has slammed into a brick wall. Jackie and Augustus pounce on the fallen girl and lay into her viciously with their feet; to pattern all her body with blood and bruises.

Facing dopplegangers of her very comrades on each side of her there is no direction in which she can escape. Jade rolls desperately from side to side and battles to stand but cannot find any opening under this hammering assault. It gets worse too, when Valmont's cane scythes into the besieged girl and adds terribly to the carnage; doing so much damage as to shatter her leg.

The ripping lances of pain clear Jade's head enough for her to gather some of her shadow power and call her wakizashi into her hand. She only found this ability in her combat with Rotaku (on a yesterday that already seems an epoch ago) but it has already gone from a party trick to the very key of her survival.

Jackie and Augustus have joined forces to torture Jade all the way down her left side, where she has already got a broken arm from yesterday's combat. To compound that, Valmont has just broken her right leg too and continues to wield his devastating cane against the whole of her right side. This gives Jade the chance to drive her wakizashi up into the mobster's groin and take him out of the equation most bloodily. It leaves Jade unguarded on her right side and she takes the chance to scramble away from the meatgrinder that is Jackie and Augustus.

« Sorry, I can't stick around for your caning. »

Jade never gets a chance to find if she can stand on her destroyed leg, as she is caught by the ankle of that very same leg and swung, excruciatingly, into the air by a giant version of the naturally giant Tohru. The snap and jerk of this catch floods her entire being with so much torment that Jade blacks out for an instant and the wakizashi falls out of her limp hand. Jade rouses to find the ersatz Tohru slapping her awake.

No sooner is Jade conscious than Tohru starts to beat her senseless. The anvil of his fist makes a punch ball of her head: her lip splits, her nose breaks, both eyes are blackened and teeth fly out; as her head spins with pain and her ankle is wrenched into agony. Daolon Wong does his best to do his worst to Jade too; he has come up behind her and is raking bloody furrows down all the length of her back, with his foul nails.

This is the Hinterland doing just what Akita said: bringing all of Jade's worst fears, doubts and nightmares to life. How many times, in her adventures with Jackie in normal times and normal lands, has she been held exactly this helpless by Tohru; made to feel most keenly her smallness and weakness. Yet so, she is not that same Jade, her time in the Shadowrealm has whetted her into something keener. Jade whips the tanto out from the sheath on her leg and uses the extra reach to slash Tohru across the throat.

« Sorry Tohru. »

Jade murmurs, as the ogre that is so like her friend puffs into nothing. Jade herself is free of Tohru and free of the claws of Daolon Wong, as she plummets away from them into a crippling impact upon the merciless sand. Even with Jade in the prime of health the pure size of the ogre Tohru would make this as brutal as any cliff fall; being as hurt as she is her body shatters into a constellation of agonies. To say the cards are stacked against Jade scarcely covers it: the entire casino is loaded against her.

Arm and ribs are broken and she sports all the injuries of body and soul earnt in her fight against Rotaku only yesterday. Food, drink, rest and healing are aching wants and needs to Jade. This is even before the brutal torture rack of the path that Akita chivvied her over. The small and young body of Jade is so overtaxed it should have been dead and gone the moment this arena began. The odds are so heavily weighted against Jade that she may as well call her opponents her executioners.

For all of that, Jade's spirit will not lie down and die, she is not about to allow her body to quit on her, no mind the demands she makes on it. She will do everything, she will do anything, and set no limits to what she will do to survive — to be there for her comrades. This is what her shadowkhan allies have seen and chosen to test; they are gambling that the bare, frail and embattled form of Jade will prove strong enough to be the bridge they can walk over and away from the curse that has tainted them for centuries.

It seems they have chosen well: after all of the hurt and damage, the thunderous fall and the break of her very bones, Jade is willing herself to stand, to stand upon a broken leg and strike out at Daolon Wong with the tanto in her shaking hand. Jade is half falling, her body scarcely in control, yet she manages to change a topple into a curve that arcs her tanto across the belly of Daolon Wong, ending him with an impromptu hara kiri.

« Sayonara wiz, you should've stuck to the hocus pocus. »

Then she falls: a supernova of agony beyond imagining spears through her back and into her heart. The corona of anguish flares out from her core to flood her entire body in a blazing white heat of uttermost torment. Jade crashes to the sand, as strength and purpose flee from her body, to be replaced by infinite pain. She twists her head around, in one last effort of will, and sees the demon form of Hsi Wu. He is standing there behind her and grinning in fiendish triumph … as he crushes the beating heart that he has ripped out of Jade.

Akita makes no shift to intervene, no move to place herself in the same peril. She perches upon the craggy uplands and gazes down upon the ruin of all shadowkhan hopes … gazes down upon the ruin that was Jade.

_**o0O¥O0o — A.N— o0O¥O0o**_

_**To Be Continued …**_

_**Well so these are "The Jackie Chan Adventures". Never promised ye the Jade Chan Adventures. Ah but wait and see, if ye know some of my other fics, ye'll know there's no limit to how dark things can go. We'll get back to the Hinterlands and the Afterlife of Jade after the next few chapters. *evil chuckle***_


	20. Chan Clan Flagging

_**«» Chan Clan Flagging «» — «» Jade In Khanate Chapter Twenty «»**_

_**«» South China Seas: Fishing Village «»**_

Jackie is driving the bucketing rustbucket of a hired jeep along a dry and dusty road that is a road only in name. In truth it isn't much more than a dirt track wedged between threatening jungle vegetation. It is as smooth as corrugated iron, as Tohru and Uncle remind Jackie, whenever he strikes another pothole or bump and they are tossed around the jeep, yet again.

« Uncle's ancient bones are not happy. Jackie must respect his Uncle and drive with care. »

« I am sorry Uncle, but that town we got the jeep from, gave me the willies »

« It give Uncle willies too. Is no excuse for nephew to drive like demon. »

« Sensei. Roanapur gave me the willies as well. Jackie is right to hurry. I do not want to see those people again. »

« I am sorry for them but I do not want to meet them again. Not even that poor lady with the burnt face. »

« Aiyaaa! Poor Lady Burnt Face is military captain with army. Do not feel sorry for her. Feel sorry for Uncle with crazy nephew driving. »

« I like Jackie driving. He doesn't wear blind glasses, like the captain of the torpedo boat. I did not feel well. »

« Apprentice complains tooooo much. Nice Japanese man in shirt and tie look after you. Yes! »

« That is true Sensei but his friend was very scary. Nobody needs two guns all the time. And why did she keep shooting things? »

« Uncle does not know. Uncle does not care. Boat was only way here. Apprentice should feel sorry for Uncle. Boat cost waaaay too much. »

« Please do not argue. We are here and the flag should be in the village ahead. I am glad Jade is not with us. The girl on the boat is a bad influence: too many guns, too many smokes, not enough clothes. And she has a bad mouth. »

« I do not understand. I know Jade did not want to leave us, back at the monastery. Then my vision said she was hurt and not happy in the Shadowrealm. Why doesn't she come back to us. »

« Aiyaaaa. Foolish apprentice. If Jade not talking and not visiting then Uncle does not have niece anymore. »

The entire cab falls so silent that the quiet even drowns out the noise of the vehicle. Uncle tugs edgily at his orange jacket, Tohru gulps noisily and shivers, Jackie narrows his eyes and his hands clench on the wheel; they all react to the skeleton rattling along besides them.

« But Uncle not Japanese expert. Uncle sure lazy niece lying down and doing nothing right now. Yes! »

Even without knowing how true Uncle's words are (that Jade is lying as still as death right now) the mood in the jeep can hardly be grimmer. It is only the sight of the gates, of the village that is their destination, that revives their spirits. Tohru has burst out from the back seats, even before Jackie is parked, and has stormed up to the gatepost and the flag hanging there. He is exultant to win so easy a quest and rushes back to his sensei, to show his prize.

Tohru crashes into Jackie, rushing back to the jeep from the opposite gatepost, and the two off them rebound from each other. They end up sitting on their rumps and massaging spinning heads. They speak the same words at the same time.

« Owwww! Why can't you wait?! I have something to show Uncle. »

They both hold up a banner torn from one or other of the gateposts outside the village. Two gateposts means two banners but which is the genuine article? Uncle is the savant to answer that question and they turn to him; they've completed the quest without any outside interference and are lucky in the extreme. All that remains is for Uncle to play treasure diviner.

« Aiyaaaa! Why does Uncle have to suffer this. Your eyes no good. You do not think. One morrrre thing: these are wronnnng banners. Uncle must use detection spell. »

Uncle holds up a child's toy windmill, that is turning slowly with no regard for the breeze. He scans the pink toy around and it speeds up or slows down according to where it is pointed. With this as a guide they can walk through the village and easily home in on the actual banner. An abashed Tohru and Jackie follow behind Uncle, as he leads the way, but they are soon excitedly pointing in every direction, as they spot: The Banner Right There.

It never is quite the one though: this impermanent village, built of woven thatch and reeds, marks each shanty with a personal banner. There are at least as many banners as there are dwellings, in fact there are many more, given over to individuals or trades or officials. Without the detector spell this is would be an impossible task and it is a frustrating and tiresome chore even as it is.

The village is silent, empty and haunted, like a resentful Marie Celeste. There are fish hung to smoke, laundry hung to dry, toys and balls lie idle, carvings and tools rest, cooking fires are sizzling and food burning — everywhere there are the signs of life but no life, no people, no villagers. Living near to the local criminal metropolis, that is the town of Roanapur, the natives thrive on the instinct of vanishing whenever exotic strangers bear down on them.

It leaves nobody for the Chan Clan to question or persuade; there is no hope of getting directions or assistance. They cannot make a straight path to anywhere, without pushing their way through the hutments. This is entirely possible as they're so flimsy but the Chan Clan aren't so very destructive; at least not intentionally. They weave a path along the haphazard streets of the village. In a little while they notice their path always seems to be upward.

The original village was set on slopes around the cove that forms the shorefront. The huts are safely away from the very worst the ocean can inflict, but the village has crept lower and nearer to the shore with every generation. The Chan Clan has found an impromptu square that splits the newer buildings from the old, decrepit and abandoned remnants. One wide and rambling wreck of a moot hall blocks their way, the path they are on forks to go around either side of the structure.

Jackie suddenly rushes forward, pounds up the rickety steps to the doorway and leaps upwards, to seize and rip down the banner hanging above the entrance. He somersaults and lands on his feet, hard and back on the steps. He falls right through, as the ancient wood crumbles away and the collapse ripples back to engulf the whole shanty. The Chan Clan are abruptly faced with an avalanche of venerable architecture.

They split and flee and run: scurrying up the side paths, desperately fleeing their own demolition. Jackie and Tohru leap forward to escape the ravage nipping at their heels. They belly flop down and knock the breath out of their bodies, even as the last of the debris rains down to make them into grey statues. One single hand thrusts out of the ruin; it is Jackie's and it still clasps the banner. This is the prize that makes it all worthwhile.

Uncle comes trotting easily, along from the other path. He stops and folds his arms, staring volcanically as Tohru and Jackie stagger to their feet and brush off the detritus. Jackie cannot wait to share his triumph.

« Uncle I've found it. Look! The markings are exactly the same as the ones in the book of Ikazuki. We can go home now and put this in the vault at Section 13. Jade is going to be safe. This is good! Why aren't you happy Uncle? »

« This no time for childish games. It nothing like banner in Oni Book. »

« But. But. Uncle; it is! Look I just had it upside down. All I have to do is turn it over and it is right. See! Ouch! »

Jackie winces at the two-finger rap he gets from Uncle

« Aiyaaaa! Foolish nephew. Does not matter how you turn banner. Eye symbols not face right way. Magic must find magic. We must follow detector spell. Nothing else important. »

This time Uncle is wrong. While the Chan Clan is distracted by hunting for banners and escaping demolition, a tidy white pleasure launch has pulled into the pier. Boris and the Enforcers have been watching developments on shore for some time (through binoculars) and waste no time after they debark. A gang ambush in the making, behind the Chan Clan, is just as much important as detecting the prize ahead of the Chan Clan.

The mob takes the quickest and straightest way to catching up to the Chan Clan and beating them to the prize. They have no care if this means bulldozing pure through the local dwellings, scaring the natives within and leaving everything collapsing behind them. It is the beginning of a swelling tide of resentment within the villagers.

Unaware of these developments behind them, the Chan Clan are making good progress now. The primordial village might be abandoned but it has been built far better than the newer hutments and much remains standing. The paths are wider and better and intelligently laid out. All of the tracks seem to converge and forge their way up hill to one central point: what looks like an ancient temple forming the apex of the village complex. There is more than this, there are signs that people come this way frequently, that the temple still comprises the hub of village life.

The very first signs of village life burst out of the huts, on both sides of the Chan Clan. Finn and Boris ram into Tohru and blast him away, to go stumbling backwards into the wall of a hut, where he gets stuck and is easy prey for them. Tohru is thrashing away with his, still loose forearms, and keeping them off to some degree but they keep jabbing in at him. It is like a bullock being tormented by gadflies.

Chow comes flying out of the window of a hut, to dropkick Jackie Chan down into the grime and dust of the path. The Chan rolls quickly over the track, just keeping away from the nunchuks Chow is cracking down at him. In no time Jackie is backed up against the wall of a building, but he has managed to roll under a bench and now he kicks it up to fly at Chow. The thug ducks and the bench goes flying over his head; but it gives Jackie space to get to his feet.

There are a pair of clogs sitting besides the bench and Jackie slips them onto his hands. Jackie uses the impromptu wooden shields to deflect the vicious strikes from Chow and his nunchuks. The Chan ducks, leaps, splits his legs, dodges and swerves around the pathway, the buildings and the clutter; in his frantic efforts to keep safe.

Uncle is a little ahead of the other two of the Chan Clan (leading the way with his detector spell whirligig) and he only looks back when the noise of the rumpus behind him finally penetrates his concentration. Turning and staring down hill, Uncle purses his lips in disapproval and throws up his hands in disgust.

« Aiyaaaa is this time for playing games? Uncle thinks not. Jackie! Tohru! Get up here now…owwww! »

His words morph into a yelp, as Ratso appears and snatches the detector spell out of Uncle's hand. The Enforcer runs off down the hill in triumph, as Uncle pelts him with the remains of a pile of fish that were being cleaned by one of the huts. Ratso is jubilant.

« I got it! I got it! I got the spell! I have! … aaaarrrrrgh … No I haven't »

Ratso is crestfallen, as he slips on some of the thrown fish, falls down, goes sliding on his rump and sees the magic toy fly out of his hand. It is Finn who snatches the arcing windmill out of the air, as it sails past. Ratso himself is not stopping until he hits the ocean: he is being carried away on piscine skates., While Ratso eels past and Finn secures the magic: a random fish, (wildly thrown by Uncle), smacks Tohru in the face. The giant snarls.

« I … Hate … Fish! »

Fuelled by rage and disgust, Tohru rips himself free of the hut walls, that are trapping him, and launches himself at Finn. The enforcer sees his doom rushing at him: there is no escaping or avoiding this frenzied roadroller and all he can do is hurl the detector-spell-windmill to Boris. Finn calls out a last few words before he is seized by Tohru, hefted into the air and hurled backwards down the slope, where he rolls and tumbles (bruisingly) all the way back to shore. His parting words mock him.

« Go long. Get back to the beach. »

Chow and Jackie are both distracted from their fight by this upheaval, just downslope of them, but it is Jackie who recovers the first and the fastest. He has confidence in his giant friend and one glance is enough to satisfy him that Tohru has things well in hand. Jackie flicks the sabots at Chow and distracts the enforcer just enough to let the Chan grab a hold of the nunchuks and use them to yank the crook into his arms.

Jackie bundles up the small form of Chow and sends him flying back down the hill and on a collision path with the unsuspecting Boris. Chow crashes into the back of the ex-chef, even as he believes he has made good his escape with the key to the next banner. The enforcer and the new recruit go crashing down in a tangle, somehow Boris keeps holding onto the detection-spell-windmill; he flinches away from a nearby cooking fire and glances back up the slope.

All of the Chan Clan are on their feet and united, as they rush towards the heap of Boris, Chow and Ratso. Jackie is in the lead and the formidable bulk of Tohru is just behind him. They are so close, fast and intent that Boris knows he has no chance of escape and they'll even grab the prize back from him. He is having none of this and thrusts the pink windmill into the flames of the cooking pit of the nearest hut.

Boris hadn't meant anything more than a simple distraction, to make the Chan Clan halt and try to rescue their magic trinket and give him space to escape. The result of casting a potent magical artefact into a live fire is far more than he bargained for. It goes up in a kaleidoscopic pyroxysm of smoke, sparks, flames and cinders. The three criminals are engulfed: their hair singes, eyebrows and beards crisp, their clothes burst into small flames. The pair of unlucky criminals go haring away downslope and back to the shore and sea, where they mean to douse themselves.

The Chan Clan are left in possession of the field but without the pink trinket, which was the enchanted windmill toy, that was going to lead them to the next Oni banner. With that safe in their grasp they would certainly stop Jade from becoming Shadowqueen and possibly keep her out of any more of those crippling battles they keep having visions of. It is a valiant and noble effort, rich in care and friendship, and it is a mockery — the Sand Arena of the Shadowrealm has already taken it's toll of Jade's life.

« Jackieeee you are a bad nephew. Why did you not stop him. Now we have no detector spell. How is magic to find magic, when you let magic get burnt. » — Uncle cracks his fingers against Jackie

« I'm sorry Uncle. I did not think he would do that. He is a very bad man. Can you make another detector spell? »

« How is Uncle to make detector spell without ingreeeedients? »

« Uhhhh. Uncle. Jackie. I don't think we need a spell anymore. Look at the temple. The banner must be there. »

« Apprentice is right. Why nephew not think of that? [raps on Jackie] We must go _**now. **_

Uncle sets off up the hill towards the temple at a hurrying pace, without troubling to check if Jackie and Tohru are following or even keeping up with him. Once they get over the surprise of Uncle's abrupt hiking off, the pair surely do follow after and soon catch up. They approach the temple, which seems by its robust style to have been one of the first and certainly the most important structures ever built in this village.

The Chan Clan ascend the steps up to the entrance and main floor and pass through the expansive doorway to the interior. The building is decidedly ancient and time-worn but there is no overgrowth of vegetation, no gathering of dust or spiderwebs; the venerable woodwork is well cared for and the door opens smoothly. Past the grand entrance and one corridor the temple opens up into a single large and double-height space. It is filled on every side by brightly painted, life-size and life-like effigies of the Oni generals, with pride of place being given to a Tarakudo replica. This is Tarakudo in the human form that he took on after Jade forced a mask on him.

Besides the statuary, on the statuary, hung on the walls, laid on the floor, spread across shelves and tables are a countless number of candles and lamps. These votive lights bear witness to every generation and nation of history and geography that has ever sailed into these waters. In the same way the models of aeroplanes and boats, the real and the imitation trade-goods that the lights illuminate; all of these come from every shade of human society. Not all of them however, there are glims and goods that show an otherworldly, an eldritch influence.

This is a cargo cult and one that was thriving from not so long ago by all the signs. It is no mundane cargo cult (for all that it has links to the human world) as it is so plainly looking to the Shadowrealms and the Oni generals for the riches of material goods. It is no matter that most of the Oni generals were caught in masks so very long ago: the chief of the Oni was never quite so trapped and kept hold of links to the mortalands. This is all too clear from the prominence of the images of Tarakudo.

The footprint, the handhold, the anchor and the root of the persistent connection between these naive villagers and the penumbra of the Oni is the one genuine banner that the Chan Clan have been hunting. It is there as the focus of the entire shrine, upon an altar beneath the lofting statue of Tarakudo. That the villagers aren't wholly blind, to the dangers of their pact with these fell beings, is shown by the banner being secured within a cage of chicken-wire.

Jackie, the archaeological expert, is quickly certain that there are no traps or hidden surprises. It is utterly safe and more than that: with the banner encased in chicken-wire they can pick it up and tote it away without any rogue visions troubling them. What does trouble them is the Oniwyrm of Tarakudo that comes bursting out at them, right through the rear wall of the temple, This new incarnation of Tarakudo charges directly at them before they have any chance to react.

It's lucky for the Chan Clan that the debris of the wall and the clutter of the temple snare the rampaging serpent, enough for them to flee out of the temple and escape back down the hill to their jeep. It's unlucky for the Chan Clan that the villagers have been bubbling and seething, boiling and simmering at the desecration of their banners and the destruction of their village. The despoliation of their temple has them finally erupting out of their huts and taking the war to the interlopers:

Jackie, Uncle and Tohru suddenly discover it isn't Tarakudo at their heels but an entire mob of enraged villagers. In a working village there is no shortage of keen blades, flaming brands and thundering bludgeons — all of them eager to make a brutal impression on Jackie and co. There is no way the Chan Clan are able to tackle such an army of maddened folks, even if they can make themselves turn on such innocents. That isn't all of it either: behind the mob of humans the Oniwyrm of Tarakudo is closing fast, to pick over whatever bones the villagers leave.

It is with huge relief that the Chan Clan reach their jeep and leap in. Jackie twists the ignition and guns the engine almost before his rump has landed in the seat. The jeep lurches and springs forward … then bogs down to a deadly halt. The Chan Clan spill out of the inert jeep, to find that the fleeing mobsters of earlier have found enough time to shoot out all of the tyres of the jeep and make it into roadkill.

All that the besieged threesome can do is run on towards the shore; it is the only direction left open to them and perhaps they can luck out and escape in a fishing boat. This is nothing of what they find: as the Chan Clan sweep onto the pier a torpedo boat sweeps in from the open sea; these are the ferrymen who brought the adventurers to this place to begin with. The chain-smoking, gun-handed, black-haired colleen amongst them shouts mockingly.

« Hah! Rock'll have to pay up now. I bet him you chimps would fall right in the dung. »

« Revy, let's save that for later, we should offer our customers a passage out of here. For a fee naturally. »

The Japanese crewman in a business shirt and tie speaks up, as the girl throws a scrunched ball of paper to Uncle. He catches and unfolds it, then gasps and staggers back in horror.

« You are robbers. You want toooo much. Uncle will not pay this. Go away now or you get piece of Uncle. »

« It's your choice of course but I don't think you'll get a better deal from the lynch mob or the dragon. »

« Aiyaaaa. Uncle is not happy but Uncle will pay. He must look after nephew and apprentice. »

Uncle scribbles his signature at the bottom of the contract and the torpedo boat noses right up to the pier. It drops a rope ladder for the imperilled trio to scramble up but far too late, the mob is at their very heels. That is when the gunhand girl makes an inhuman leap off of the boat and right over the heads of the Chan Clan, to land smack between them and the mob. A gunshot rings out and the mob jostles to a halt, they know the damage of guns all too well and are very glad this first shot was into the air. The gunhand yells out.

« Why're you mutts chasing these guys? Not like you can eat the chimps is it! Go hunt snakeface; there's a month of meat on him. »

Furious as the villagers are, their survival instinct is stronger than anything. The girl's words ring with good sense and the mob swivels as one, to pursue Tarakudo for their barbecue. The last sight the Chan Clan have of this South China Seas' village is of the mighty Oniwyrm Tarakudo fleeing in terror from the fate of becoming sushi. The last sight they have of the torpedo boat is as it pulls away, after dropping them at the nearest port with an airport. All of the Chan Clan are deeply relieved to be free of those entrepreneurs who seem to come out of another kind of a tale entirely.

The last of this chapter of the tale of the Chan Clan is spelt out when they get back to Section Thirteen. Since the inferno raised by Tarakudo: Uncle has spun his best chi magic over the base, to make it impregnable inside and out, to any incursions from the Shadowrealms. Within this bastion of technology and artifice Captain Black takes the receipt of the very first of the banners discovered and recovered, on this M word mission. He takes it as it is, (still within the chicken-wire enclosure) into the vault, where he goes to pin it upon the wall, opposite the mask of Tarakudo. Captain Black unravels the chicken-wire and reaches down to lift out the banner.

« Whoa Nellie! »

Captain Black exclaims; his fingers have hardly grazed the banner before he turns white and staggers back to brace himself against the wall of the vault, with his breath racing. Jackie urgently questions his friend.

« Augustus! What's wrong? What did you see? Was it Jade? »

« Whoa! Bad juju. What was that? An M word spyscope? I saw a giant shadowkhan, really huge with bat wings. The hands! The hands, they were all knives. And Jade! Jade was there. She was fighting it with a sword. But. Oh but! The bat thing had its claws all the way in her side. Blood! So much blood. Jackie. I'm sorry. But, if that was real, you're going to have to buy a tombstone. »

_**o0O¥O0o — A.N— o0O¥O0o**_

_KK: damn well sue me for that stew of a fic. Came up with the location of S China Seas for this battle &amp; then so could not leave the Black Lagoon Anime Crew out of it. Uh huh this chapter is a kinda crossover but can't tag it or flag it up as Lagoon is only bit players here._


	21. Unlucky Thirteen

_**«» Unlucky Thirteen «» — «» Jade In Khanate Chapter Twenty One «»**_

_**«» Section Thirteen in The Field «»**_

_**«» A.N – Had to split earlier chapter. Folks felt it was too long. Makes this old chap look new «»**_

_**o0O¥O0o**_

The doctor peers down gloomily at the man in the hospital bed. This is the man he is meant to repair? How can any man get himself so banged up on an archaeological mission? The man is a wreck and Section Thirteen expects him put the guy back together in secret and isolated from the rest of the hospital!

It is impossible! But Section Thirteen say this is one of their top staff and he bust himself up recovering some heavy data hidden in an ancient banner and they'd like him back the way he was or they'll be asking the doctor some hard questions. That's a diagnosis to make any doctor gloomy: fix the patient or we fix you. Section Thirteen has a name for getting what it wants; so he'd better be the surgeon who delivers. They're not folks to cross.

Section Thirteen has long been the doyen of the web of secret agencies protecting the States and the world from overshadowing threats. Lately it had fallen under shadow itself, with its very boss muttering about demons, about magic, about the occult and about far too many doomsdays. Twice, within a few months,Captain Augustus Black had been relieved of command.

The upheaval and uncertainty had been all too much for the chief agent of the department. Taggart McStone, Agent Tag, the longtime premier agent of Section Thirteen is used to them being in the lead, of them being at the head of everyonee. With all of that, there is no call to get civilians and their games distracting the agency from its serious work. He expected the best from Section Thirteen and expected better for himself.

Each time that Captain Black was unseated, Agent Tag anticipated that this would be the time he rose up to the throne himself. In his eyes there is nobody more suitable to inherit command of Section Thirteen than himself. His mind is clear on this matter. … … …

— _« When I run Section Thirteen I'll return it to its proper course. Then we will crush all the espionage, all the global crime, all the warmongering and all of the evil masterminds. It'll be sad to climb up over the bones of Captain Black. He's my friend,. He's been my mentor and supporter for so long. He made me the man I am today. But it's myself, Taggart McStone who'll make me the man I'm going to be tomorrow. » —_

Agent Tag is full of his yesterdays and tomorrows it is the todays that he cannot endure, that make him nearly physically sick. It's unbearable to him: that Captain Black leads a charmed life and rebounds from every setback stronger than before. Obsessing on magic or else even getting sacked via computer; these are all ranked as attacks instigated by Doctor Necrosis and no stain on Captain Augustus Black, his standing, reputation or track record.

Captain Black is lauded: for not only throwing off the attacks but also for rescuing agents out in danger and hitting back at Necrosis too. Agent Tag was there, on the scene, for one time that the brilliance shone out and he managed to reflect some of the glory onto himself. It sickens him, knowing it was really the Chan brat who took out one enemy and sent a revenge virus at another. Agent Tag broods. … … …

— _«There is a right and proper way to run a Section, to be a winning agent like myself. It takes investment, training, technology and organisation. There is just no room or place at all for innovation, for mavericks. We don't need anyone who isn't a regular fit. » —_

Agent Tag shifts awkwardly and clumsily, to lever up a hand mirror and stare at his own transformed face.

— _« It's madness that an upstanding guy like me is passed over for an eccentric like Augustus. I don't care how much he's done for me! It just isn't right how his perverse style lucks it all out in one outstanding success after another. Doesn't he think anything of me? Showing me up like this! Kidnapping in a leading archaeologist and feather-bedding that spoilt runt of a niece, as if I'm worth nothing. » —_

Agent Tag doesn't buy any of the phoney baloney magical riff that Black and his cronies spin. It doesn't matter to him if they want to hide the real potential of the artefacts they hunt under some fairytale or other. He knows better, he always keeps his feet solidly on the established track.

That has always been enough and more than enough to accelerate him to the top of his profession, after a full lifetime in enforcement. It always has been enough until that day, that one day, that one day of too many. Captain Augustus Black was on the track of the Dark Hand's sudden interest in historic artefacts. The sideswipe tactic was to chloroform in an old friend and antiquities expert. Taggart McStone has no good thoughts about this.

— _« The world has gone mad. We all know how Captain Black loves to sneak in extra help by the backdoor, but surely even he had to see the fatal flaw in his last plan. Kidnap extra help fine. Kidnap an old friend fine. Find a chink brat crashing our security, blindsiding our best agents, stealing our transport and nearly rescuing the prisoner out from under our noses. I should have told Augustus right then to add the kid to the riverbed, she wasn't ever going to be anything but trouble. » —_

Agent Tag heaves up the bulky weight of his arm and sends the hand mirror crashing and smashing against a wall.

— _« Oh noooo they as good as pinned a medal on the runt for her daring. Okay! Okay! Not a problem. I was still the star and I knew everybody would know it was time for a change of boss. Imagine letting the nerd and the kid take up residence in a top secret base. Yes sir I was sure that was one lunacy too much for even the most loyal guys to tolerate. Oh noooo! The runt had to become everyone's little darling. » —_

It is a bitter pill but Agent Tag could swallow that much (with difficulty) and grind his teeth in silence, even as he saw how the Jade urchin won over the whole department with her mix of audacity, daring, cheek and kindness. Yes Taggart McStone can bide his time and his peace so long as he stays The Agent. Yet so: there's no peace in his head.

— _« Oh noooo I'm not even that much now. Even Kepler betrays me. Every invention he made, it was for me. I was his test pilot. I had all the gadgets to take out in the field and win. Along comes that chink urchin with her puppy dog eyes and I'm out in the cold. That jetpack was going to make me master of the sky. Look who gets to take it out first and bring down a Dark Hand Gang with it. Look who gets the pat on the back and one more star for Agent Zhenyu. Oh yes, I heard! They tell her she can't be an agent till she's older, but they've given her a code name and a file to keep track of her games. » —_

Agent Tag stares miserably at a television mounted on the wall, one he cannot turn off or change. It shows all the mundane and surface news that ordinary folks get to see. It galls him how much he doesn't know for himself.

— _« I'd sell every single Kepler patent for one look at those Agent Zhenyu files. Damn Black for classing them ultrasecret. If there was any justice in the world she ought to have died on her first mission. I even had a chance to clean her out when she sneaked away on my mission. That would never have made the news and I'd still be The Man. Okay. Okay old Augustus hasn't demoted me or anything but he knows, he knows. That chink brat has got me under a cloud. It isn't Agent Tag in the sun anymore; Agent Zhenyu is growing up like a weed and right in my light. » —_

Agent Tag swears to himself, at the most harsh and burning memory of all his recent humiliations. He had been sent away in his microjet to quell Doctor Necrosis and the Jade chimp had stowed away, so well that he'd known nothing of her till she announced herself.

Okay, perhaps, it was Jackie Chan who knocked him down, but only because he was totally off guard at the time. Besides that any mission has its lapses and Taggart McStone is a master at glossing over any gaps in his ventures. Yet so, it undermines him totally to be upstaged by anyone and (when that anyone is a kid) he has no forgiveness for it.

He had come around propped against a wall and in the uniform of a Necrosis goon. He had used the technology of his wrist-monitor to tap into the security systems of Dr Necrosis' base. Then Agent Tag had seen events play out on the monitors and all without him.

Jackie Chan was no competitor to Tag's reputation: the guy was caught, strapped to a lab bench and about to be fried. Agent Tag knew he could rush in at the last second, save the day and be the hero for one more time. He was wrong beyond belief: Jade Chan sneaked in, wrecked the doomsday weapon, blinded the Doctor's executioner, drop-kicked the man into a coma.

Agent Tag (for all his haste) had only wrenched open the door of the Doctor's lab in time to have an already comatose Hoyle fall into his arms. To be sure, Agent Tag is no fool and he reported back and wrote up the mission as his ownself rescuing the Chans and foiling Dr Necrosis.

Just as Taggart McStone guessed, Jackie Chan hadn't the ego to challenge the report and the man kept Jade Chan quiet too. To be sure, Captain Black is one sharp blade who knows all his resources well and he'd given Agent Tag an inquisitorial glance after reading that report but hadn't chosen to officially challenge Agent Tag.

That is little comfort to Taggart McStone: to know his star has fallen and his chief only keeps up the pretence for fear of awkward questions, should the reality be known. To be sure, he'd always known that younger and better supported agents would supplant him in time. Yet so, he'd always planned to retire in glory, when he saw that speck growing on his horizon. His most fevered imagination could not have warned him that a schoolkid would be an overnight sensation and overturn his world in months.

— _« Captain Black had just better not forget my track record. What has that runt of chink really done? It's just luck that she's saved so much museum junk from thieves. She's as much a crook as any of those! She's turned our vaults into a joke, into a lending library and the guys ignore it. Look at them: all they do is pump up the security and keep quiet. They should let me teach her manners! » —_

Taggart McStone futilely attempts a karate chop and kick: imagining trashing Jade in martial arts practice.

— _« Okay I've seen her in the dojo. Okay she is wiping out all the agents on the floor with her kicks but I could kill her flat in a second out in the field. Who would mind; what's a kid the less? So there's a whisper that she is the only one to get Kepler's time travel working and the two of them are as thick as thieves but why should I care, Section Twelve will give me all I need. Who cares that a schoolkid pulled together her uncles, the world's best wrestler and thief as a specialist team; it'll fall apart in seconds with her gone … yes … it'll all fall apart and get back to normal … with her gone. » —_

Taggart McStone jabs roughly at the intercom that is set next to his bed and lets it be known he is ready to debrief. He gathers his thoughts as he waits.

— _« Okay let's see what Captain Black thinks of me now. He can't deny I've gone beyond the call of duty here. Oh noooo he can't deny it or keep me out of the field, even if I won't be at my best for a while. I need to be back out there; I can show them I'm as good as any Chans. Oh yesss and they won't be pesterating me much longer. Can't deny those uncles are the best in their fields but how many times has the kid had to drag them out of a trap. Agent Zhenyu, she's the keystone, take her out and the world is mine again. Captain Black: say goodbye Jade Chan and welcome back Agent Tag. » —_

That is as far as Taggart McStone's future plans go for now; to gain his next aims he has to focus on his latest mission and how he can make it sound good to Captain Black. That is a challenge enough to be a mission in its ownself. He had learnt that the Chan's were racing around in the pursuit of some more of the mysterious history that Section Thirteen puts so much store on lately. He had played his own game accordingly

That time Agent Tag had not turned his back and scoffed or run off on some conventional mission; instead of that he had done all he could to learn about the project. Taggart McStone had decided that, if he couldn't beat them he would join them, he would go out hunting the artefacts and bring them home better than the Chans ever could.

The Chans and Tohru had just returned from some mission to Spain, empty handed but claiming to have got valuable information. In their absolutely typical style they had plunged back into their abstruse world and their so-called researches. Taggart McStone knew he was an infant at this game, he had always flown on the shoulders of a whole team of backroom staff, so he had to go out and find his own expert.

Luckily for Agent Tag, Section Thirteen has the authority to sequestrate any personnel it wishes, however much of an imprisoned criminal the person happens to be. Armed with this power Taggart McStone had removed Daolon Wong from prison and installed Uncle's arch-rival in a Section Twelve safehouse. At Agent Tag's rank it was normal to use other departments resources as appropriate. It surely was not normal to use the arrangement to hide your actions from your own side but that was exactly what Taggart McStone did and worse.

He kept a close monitor on the Chan Clan's activities and, the moment they were airborne for the South China Seas and their next mission, he was at Rare Finds with Daolon Wong. It was no challenge for a man of Tag's abilities to break open Uncle's shop and no challenge for a scholar of Wong's abilities to break open Uncle's research. All the defensive spells that Uncle had woven around his valuables were useless: they were forged against magic and dark chi and purely overlooked mundane threats.

Tag has always been mortal and Wong is too (with his chi powers stolen away), so they slip beneath all of the protective charms. The irony is that, the very disarming of Daolon Wong is what has given him access to all of Uncle's treasures. Taggart McStone was insistent that Daolon Wong harrowed Uncle's tomes instantly but the dark chi scholar was drawn by the aroma of the Shadowlands

It led him to the photograph of Melvinworld with the three humans (two agents and one actor) plus Jade Chan. The girl wasn't human when the picture was taken and whatever humanity she had regained afterwards was rapidly fading away. Daolon Wong hardly needed his eldritch senses to tell him this: the picture was dominated by the Shadowlands: an oni banner, a fresh oni banner solely for Jade, filled one corner and the image was crowded with shadowkhan. There was one mutated leechkhan, a barefaced squidkhan and a slaughterous Jade Khan. What puzzled Daolon Wong was that the photograph was so acutely linked to otherworlds and so intimately linked to Jade Chan, yet he could detect no sense of animating spirit within Jade, as if her being had already fled.

It was a mystery and one that Daolon Wong would investigate later, when he had regained his powers. Before that however, he had to satisfy the fool mortal agent who could see no further than the solid flesh of his fingertips. The photograph had taught Daolon Wong one thing for certain: the banner that the plebeian sought was also a battery of chi power.

Daolon Wong and Taggart McStone both saw the oni banner as their goal and their hope but for very different reason. The agent expected power from having the banner and the sage expected power from draining the banner. The researches of Uncle showed the underhand pair exactly where to go; Taggart McStone knew the States better than any of the Chan Clan and saw a clear path to a banner that had escaped the Chan Clan entirely.

In an underground and illegal pit fighting den a crimelord imagined himself a modern Caligula and hung a flag above hsi throne accordingly. He never would have done so, if he'd known it would draw the ambitions of Agent Tag and an elite taskforce from Section Twelve. In no time at all every single pit fighter had been rendered into grave fodder and not a one of Caligula's guards was breathing. The Section Twelve detachment stood in the arena and dared any soul to make a twitch against their guns.

In total command of the situation Daolon Wong and Taggart McStone wended their way up to the quivering bulk of the terrified and toppled despot. Agent Tag ripped the banner out of its socket in the tyrant's throne and lifted it high in triumph. That was when the screaming began. Taggart McStone and Daolon Wong turned to stare down into the arena and saw all of the corps of SectionTwelve turned into corpses in mere minutes.

Agent Tag saw a gang of brutes garbed like the Ku Klux Klan (but in robes of black and red) while Daolon Wong knew it was leechkhan and squidkhan that were the threat and one he did not care to face. He had only himself to blame (even if he did not know it) as the touch of a dark chi mage against so sensitive a membrane as the photo of Melvinworld was more than enough to set alarms klaxoning through the Shadowrealms. The two tribes posed in the frame were most intimately affected: they came to investigate and defend Jade Khan's interests.

Daolon Wong was much the more experienced with shadowkhan and the supernatural altogether: he tried to make a clean escape but Agent Tag laid him low. Whatever music they had to face, the Section Thirteen operative was not going down alone. For all of that, a prone and inert Daolon Wong was overlooked by the attackers. Taggart McStone was far the less lucky: he was caught and he was stretched and he was left as a broken doll with all his limbs pulled from their sockets. Beyond that, his ribs were cracked, one arm snapped and an eye gone from his face, to say nothing of the plain blood and bruising.

It was in this predicament that Agent Tag had been forced to activate an emergency rescue beacon. It had been seen and responded to by Section Thirteen: that left the criminal facing justice, the agent facing rescue and many questions facing the pair of them in the near future. Daolon Wong was returned to prison and Taggart McStone was placed here:: trapped in a hospital bed and the despair of the medic forced to care for him, under impossible conditions. The very next impossible condition is going to be how to explain to Captain Black that Agent Tag had tried to do one better than the Chan Clan but got himself crippled and had purely embarrassed Section Thirteen beyond credibility, by losing an entire Loan Squad from SectionTwelve.

Taggart McStone groans to himself: all that loss and cost and nothing to show for it. Those bizarre attackers had left the banner in his hands, as if their only purpose was to teach him a lesson and the banner was of no concern to them. It wasn't at all how things had turned out though: a svelte lady, in a dark and slinky catsuit had sashayed up to Agent Tag (as he lay broken in the stadium) and plucked the banner away from him. The lass had mocked him by blowing a kiss off from her hand and towards him, even as she vanished away, with a hated name on her lips.

« Sorry, stoneface, Jade needs this more than you. »

That is all the past: all of the length of time that Jade Chan has been the leech draining his blood, the nightmare of Necrosis and the recent bad history of the raid. Right now Agent Tag is claiming anonymous sources leading him to the banner and overwhelming forces tearing him from the banner. Taggart McStone flinches at the disbelief and scorn in the eyes of Captain Augustus Black but holds to his lie and is startled to find his one-time friend not more upset at the loss of the banner. The reason why soon becomes clear and makes Agent Tag even more irate at the haunting influence of Jade Chan.

« Take it easy Taggart, you had some bad juju there for sure. But it's turned out okay. Somehow Jade got the J Team back in action and we've got two banners in the vault right now, thanks to that. Don't you worry either, I'll get you back out there; I know you're itching for action. »

Oh yes! Agent Tag is itching for action. He is itching to have a finger on the trigger and Jade Chan in his sights. It is lucky he doesn't know how and why Jade contacted Viper and raised the J Team even while she was trapped deep in the Shadowrealms and facing killing battles. It would be a sore kick in his ego if he learnt how she plays for the team, while he only plays the team for his own ends. Taggart McStone will never feel peace until he has paid the kid back for all the slights he feels, let alone the magic trumps he remains ignorant of. What would he say, if he knew how some murderous terrain had already struck Jade down!


	22. Mourning Jade

_**«» Mournful Morning for Jade «» — «» Jade In Khanate Chapter Nineteen «»**_

_**«» Shadowrealm Hinterland «»**_

_**o0O¥O0o — Dawning — o0O¥O0o**_

**Well before the dawn rises above the soaring mountains, the effulgence of the morning sun washes across the Hinterland of the Shadowrealm. It reveals the shadowkhan Akita, immobile upon the crag where she has perched all the night long. It reveals the inert, bloody, battered and broken form that was Jade Chan, sprawling on the eagle-gold sands with her very own heart mockingly close to one cold and outstretched hand.**

**Through all the night Akita has remained motionless in vigil above the sanded arena where the Hinterland challenges those who are foolishly overconfident or impetuous enough as to believe they can defeat their own inner demons. This one region of the Hinterland lies waiting for any who dare to step foot on it and then conjures up nightmare versions of their deepest insecurities for them to face down.**

**It is the ultimate challenge and test, which all warriors turn to at the last, after they believe they are trained and prepared enough by their ordeals within the Hinterland. Amongst all of the lands beyond the human world it is this which is the deadliest and most fateful. All of the leaders and champions of the shadowkhan have measured themselves against this gauntlet and many (who were only mighty in their dreams) have ended themselves here. Impetuous and heedless as ever: Jade flung herself into that net of sand before she ever knew what it meant and far before she was ready to survive it.**

**Akita's shadow reels out before her, as the sun crests the pinnacle behind her and the first ray of dawn lights upon the Sand Arena. Instantly the entire battlefield erupts into a saffron corona of light, through which nothing can be seen. The very body of Jade seems to cinerate away, yet it still is there, when the glare sinks into the grains of sand.**

**« Dunk that basketball. » Jade growls, as she rolls over on her side. **

**« Tch. What a weird dream that was, wait'll I tell Mugen. Huh! Sand? Ooookay not all a dream. But it musta been, 'cos where are all the injuries? Jeez! I'm not hurt at all. Noooo! »**

**Jade leaps to her feet and looks around frantically. Her hands desperately pat down her whole body and clutch at her chest over her heart. Her face clenches, she shrinks into herself, hugs herself tight and shivers.**

**« Rats. Rats. Rats. I'm not hurt anywhere. It's all better; my bust ribs and broke arm too. It … was … all … real. My heart! I died! I did. How? »**

**Jade runs up the slope to Akita, there is no barrier in her way now. Nothing traps Jade in the battleground. She paces round Akita, gesturing wildly.**

**« Akita. I fought Rotaku. I beat him. He was tough. Jeez was he tough and mean. I mean I'm mean. I did all that to him. Jackie isn't gonna be happy. He won't like it. I'm so gonna get grounded. Why'd he have to be a monster though. Why'd he wanna punch me like he was Hak Foo. Oh man I aced Hak Foo but how'd Valmont end up by helping Captain Black. They whomped me. Them and Rotaku. Rats! Look at me; I'm all healed up but I've got enough scars to be a road map. So not fair; ganged up on by a herd of elephants. Yeh how come Hsi Wu gets my heart? I am so done with that guy! Jeez way to get a girl: kill her dead. Suckerific! He planted me six feet down but no he didn't I'm here, I'm talking to you. What is it? Am I ghost? That'd be cool. Is it a stupid dream? Is that baa lamb talisman playing games? Did I … »**

**Akita reaches out one clawed hand and places a talon over Jade's lips to quell the girl.**

**« No! Enough! Quieten your hailstorm tongue. Yes: you died battling and died very bloodily. See now Jade: that's meant to be the final testing but you're running yourself into it first. Yes, after training, the sands are taking you to death and back, for the making of you. See now its the proving ground that's winnowing out all the dross. But see you, you're the clownfish, for not swimming the river before trying the salmon leap. Itai! See how you're cursing me »**

**« Tch don't blame me. There wasn't any Keep Out sign. Duh it's over now, why're you so stoked? »**

**« No it isn't over; see you're making yourself the log on the tide. Each night the beach is drawing you back. Yes you'll have to keep fighting until you're winning or else made so despairing you're ending your own life. See now: as much as they're killing you the dawn will keep raising you. Yes Jade: your rushing haste is snaring us both. No, you're not leaving here and this Kenjutsu is not leaving her pupil. »**

**« Tch. All I've gotta do is pull a U turn. » **

**Jade grouses and rushes back up the slope and at the gateway. There is a whipcrack of sound, a blasting dazzle of light and Jade is thrown back to go tumbling down the slope. Akita pounces on the prone girl and straddles her, menacing Jade with reaching talons.**

**« See now Jade: your rushing keeps throwing you into hazard. Yes it's time you're learning. Nobody goes fighting battles they're unready for. Tssss but we're both playing dolts! See now: I'm too rusty a seifu, for not warning you, but you're a too rash pupil too! Haaaah! »**

**Akita leaps off Jade and upright onto her feet. The shadowkhan grabs hold of Jade's arm and yanks the girl to her feet. Akita shoves Jade in the small of the back, to set the Chan stumbling down the path to the bridge. The shadowkhan gives Jade one last warning, before the pair of them focus on the sloping ground.**

**« Tssss! Doltishness is making a fierce training ground. See Jade: your honing was to be gentle and slow, as fitting your gossamer body. See now: with the sands healing you nightly there's no need for holding back. Yes Jade: welcome to the blazing furnace. »**

**Those are the last words spoken for a while, as they both pick their way down the path, towards the arching skeleton of some behemothine monster, that forms a bridge over the Sand Arena. From this height Jade can take in all of the sweep of the terrain. **

**The heights form a straight line to her left and right, edging the plain below. To the far right, they curve around in a hook and roughly form the shape of a hockey stick, with Jade standing at the middle of the shaft. A belt of sand coats the foot of the mountain range: in the far distance, towards the curl of the hills, it shades from the dark gold of the arena sands into a whiter gold. Beyond the sands is a midground of a kind of savannah and past that a wild forest of strange growths.**

**This is a sharper, crueller and emptier land than the Shadowrealm Heartland. Back, in what Jade almost feels is home now, the land is warm, pulsing, vibrant, pungent, muscular and alive. The sky here is a shade of ancient ivory, with dark and harshly jagged clouds: scudding by in flocks that intermit the sun so often that all beneath the sky flickers from shade to shine. It is as if a giant hand, with spread fingers, is waving between them and the sun. The sun is no cosy globe but a burning white, sharp and piercing, star hung in the gaunt atmosphere.**

**The savannah land is filled by a colony of blotchy, stubby, hummocks of vegetation, like barrels made out of human fat (in tint and texture) and vicious tendrils of brambles arch out of them and spread across the terrain like reaching, skeletal fingers. Mixed in amongst them are clusters of sky-threatening poles of sere brown, that might be bamboo or reeds. They have sharp and pointed branches that form rings around the pikes at uneven intervals — as if these are lances thrust up through crowns of thorns. **

**The top of each pike is invisible under messy clumps of twigs and vegetation. What ground can be seen appears to be irregular, tussocky and carpeted by spongy growths like bunches of lizards' tongues, in grey, mauve and olive. They aren't so far away, just the other side of the sandy moat, and will be the first obstacle.**

**In the further distance: the forest rears up to rip at the sky with bottle-brush heads, tentacular branches, swirling talons of leaves. The trunks of the trees are bare and rising highly in blotchy and unhealthy shades of bruised purple, fevered mauve and the periwinkle of dying flesh. The branches start and reach out only up near the crown of the trunks. Some are broken umbrellas of foliage hanging over the ground below like vultures, others are like the clawed and upreaching hands of beggars, while the rest clump together like fists shaken at the sky. **

**Akita steps off the bridge and Jade is about to follow, when the shadowkhan lunges at her with the knives of her hands. Jade has her wakizashi drawn, in her grip and at guard with such instinct that the girl is barely aware of the motion herself; the Sand Arena has done this much for her already.**

**The lightning of her responses lets Jade make a telling strike against Akita's body; yet from then on the battle is most evenly balanced: Akita has claws, experience and natural aptitude, Jade has new skills, a reaching blade and the high ground of the bridge.**

**Jade is giving this her best, for all it is practice and training against a comrade, she pours everything of herself into the fight. Whatever about that, it runs out her energy all too fast, leaving her tiring, weakening and slowing. **

**Akita takes ever more control of the fight and guides the action to push the girl to her limits, to stretch her demandingly and to force Jade to be as flexible and versatile as can be with her blade. In the end of it all Jade is cut punishingly broadly and deeply. it is all too plain that only sheer determination is keeping her sweating and swaying body upright. Akita measures Jade up, gauges how very little the girl has left in her, then speaks.**

**« Yes. Jade is striking as fiercely, as with any eagle's claws, but failing to spread her wings. »**

**Jade brains it immediately — « **_**Duh! Not the lava bridge. I am so stupid. I don't have to stay here. » —**_

**At that Jade vaults off the bridge onto the sands (inert in daylight) and kicks a plume hard into Akita's face. **

**« Yessss. You can guess me but you can't see me. » **

**Jade shoots under the bridge to come at Akita from the far side; she lances at the shadowkhan with her blade and pierces Akita deeply in the flank. Yet so, Akita pays no heed to the wound and makes as if nothing is amiss, while the blade of her leg whips back to slash across Jade's legs and drop the girl down.**

**Akita pounces on the girl in a flash: sitting on Jade's back and and tearing the wakizashi from Jade's hand. Akita seizes Jade's chin and yanks the girl's head up, to expose her neck, then presses the keen edge of Jade's own blade against her neck, till mortal blood is dripping down.**

**« Jeez this ain't some movie! If you've got me; finish me. Jackie is so gonna whomp your butt; whatever! »**

**Akita swings off Jade and back to her feet, she helps the bloodied girl to her feet and hands the wakizashi back to Jade. **

**« And Rest. »**

**« Tch. Lucky it wasn't the arena. Hogtie me and I couldn't do worse. »**

**Jade plunges her wakizashi into the sand repeatedly, till it is clean of the mingled blood of Akita and herself.**

**« Hhhhhn! » Jade groans**

**She turns, straightens, faces Akita and forces her anguished body to take a fighting stance.**

**« Guess it's time for round two. »**

**« Haaaah (Akita chuckles) we're not trying to make Jade a warrior in one morning. The Hinterland is laying no dust of time on wild geese flying through. We're adding no more days to our lives than those we're spending with climbing in and out of the Hinterlands. Don't turn away now: we are the warriors. »**

**Akita makes a choice and indicates a small boulder. at the edge of the sands**

**« See now: it's good that Jade is caring for her sword, but a warrior is more than a blade. Yes: pick up … that rock. Try throwing it at me. »**

**Jade goes over and plucks it up with some little difficulty. When it comes to raising it above her head and pitching it, then things become harder. Jade fights breathily and sweatily too raise it above herself. When she has it lifted, then the very first swing that she takes has her staggering, tottering and toppling … to fall over on her backside in the sand and raise a cloud of dust. The rock goes tumbling away, while Jade scowls and glares up at a grinning Akita.**

**« Helloooo! Throw a mountain? I'm not Supermoose. »**

**« Jade! You're not seeing. Can you throw a cannonball. Is that challenging to Jade? »**

**« Duh not many cannonballs in San Fran but I can toss a bowling ball. Guess I can do a cannonball. »**

**« See now Jade: you're worrying over the burden when it's your strength that needs questioning. »**

**« Grrrr! I'm not a weak little girl. I'm … »**

**« A weakening little girl.**

**Akita cuts in, as she leaps across to the rock and plunges one taloned leg into the sand in front of it. Jade was about to wrestle the stone again but finds Akita in her way.**

**« See Jade: you're wasting yourself. Being too proud of your strength, you're not accepting when it's gone. The whale is fighting the deeps of the ocean better than any other creature, yet even he must breech for air and for power. »**

**Akita thrusts her bladed leg deep into the sand, exactly as Jade did with her wakizashi.**

**« By taking care of just your blade, you're crippling yourself. No: it isn't mattering what weapon you have in your hand, if the hand isn't strong enough to wield it. Yes: your body is your weapon as much as your sword. See now, it's a foolish warrior who is neglecting it. No more battling: you're caring for your blade, now you must be caring for Jade. »**

**« Hnnnng » Jade groans and struggles on « Not yet. Gotta do exercises first. » **

**« No: Jade isn't needing that, she is in the Hinterland with Akita. Yes: that is all the training Jade needs. »**

**« Hey! Jackie never let me off and I don't let my buds off. What am I gonna say, when I get back? "Hey guys you were all pin sharp but I quit … 'cos I fell in a sand pit." Noooo I'm so not gonna let them down. »**

**«Then this kenjutsu will accompany you. »**

**« Duh! How come you tell me not to do the dance then you wanna join in. I'm getting mixed messages here. »**

**« This Kenjutsu is mistaking you. I see now, this isn't for training but for respecting comrades. Yes: in that I'm joining you. »**

**Akita moves into place and waits expectantly till Jade begins her routine and the shadowkhan follows along. The day is well started and early too, right from dawn, the reviving of Jade, the education of Jade, the duo fencing and the pair sharing exercises and understanding. The growl of Jade's stomach announces what has to be next on the menu: breakfast.**

**« See now, this one morning, you can be resting and sheltering, while I'm foraging. Yes but, you'll start learning the way of it soon enough. No, not today, for now you're easy meat for porphyrois, I want you sheltering under the bridge till my returning. »**

**« Porpoises!? Helloooo Akita! Sardines in the sand! Tch! »**

**Akita grabs Jade by her sword-harness and whirls around, like a pitcher winding up to throw. Pitch she does and Jade is the ball, ploughing a track across the sand as she is lobbed under the bridge.**

**« Itai! How you're cursing me! They're swimming in the heavens and liking human flesh, mine or yours. No. None of your fooling Jade; see how all your haste keeps leading you to disaster and try obeying me. »**

**Akita razors off, leaving Jade to slump down huffily under the bridge, grousing to herself, as she folds her arms ragingly across her chest and aims grumpy kicks at the sand. This doesn't last so very long, as Jade stares up at the underside of the skeletal bridge, and sees how much it looks like a jungle gym. No sooner is the thought born than Jade is springing up and aloft to go monkeying about. **

**This too palls after not so very long. Jade drops back to the ground, finds a spare piece of bone and wanders off to the lower spans of the bridge and plays the bones that it's made of, as if it is a xylophone. Amusing as that is, it isn't keeping the flighty Jade entertained for long, and she's soon ramping around under the bridge, kicking up minor sandstorms and peering out.**

**« Jeez way to order a take out! The Jadester's starving to death here! Akita, where've you got to? Guess I'd better go and see. It'll be okay, Akita only said to try and obey. Tch! I did try. »**

**Jade hasn't purely left the bridge she was meant to hide under: she is on the topside now, at the apex of the central span with a clear view over the savannah and forests. Her eyes and her stomach are both keen to find the shadowkhan returning with food. Jade is peering so intently ahead, for any sign of Akita, that she misses the beauty in the sky above her. **

**It is a dolphin shape: with the diamante, glittering, amethyst, scales of an snake. There is no stern fin but a sinuous wave of a long and muscular tail. The underbelly is laced with gills and is of a white to blend with the sky. Just aft of the mouth is the carmine band of a single composite that rings the entire body. The very front point of the extraordinary creature is made of one salmon hued and lanceolate horn, that swells out from beneath the mouth.**

**The horn scoops Jade off the bridge and flings the startled girl high into the clouds. Beneath her the beast has tilted its head and opened a wide and wickedly fanged mouth. The gullet is ready for Jade to drop into and be torn to bloody meat. Beyond hope Jade has been snared by a one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater.**

**Yet so Jade is not like the prey that the porphyrois is used, not even like other warriors that have fallen to it and it's kin in the past. She is smaller, lighter, more agile and more flexible than any before her and it is this that gives her some chance. **

**« Duh. I'm so not gonna be fish food. Lets see how flipper is at tag »**

**Thanks to Hatsune and Mugen, Jade is expert at airobatics and twists her body even as she is falling: She curls into a ball and springs open again, jolting and spinning herself to a new angle of descent. This lands her astride the porphyrois' back and finds her nearly falling off again. The glittering smoothness of its hide is an illusion: Jade's bare legs are sliced as if by a wire brush and blood rains down, while the sudden pain almost unseats her. **

**« Yeowwww! Ever heard of sandpaper? That's no welcome mat but you so aren't busting this drop in! »**

**For all of that boldness, Jade knows she dare not fall and clenches her legs tighter, gashing the cuts deeper but keeping hold of her sanctuary on the porphyrois' back. The creature undulates, bucks and rolls. It tosses itself about wildly: from side to side and up &amp; down. It cavorts across the entire sky in every direction and turns its very body into a flying earthquake. **

**« Quit it flipper, you'll never grow up to be a rollercoaster. The Jadester is gonna put the brakes on you. »**

**To be sure she will, once she isn't so busy clinging on. There are no handy fins to grab at, not on this streamlined devilfish and all Jade can do is throw herself down: pressing the length of her body hard against the barbs that pierce her clothing and her flesh. She wraps her short young arms as far round the purple-people-eater as she can and clings on with all her strength. **

**It doesn't matter how deeply or widely she is nicked and bleeding; it is worth the cost to keep away from the terrible maw. Jade feels as if she is shooting the rapids hugging a cactus. She is lucky that the critter is more opportunistic than persistent, for all its smarts. The topside of the purple-people-eater is blood slick from Jade's many small injuries and making it all too likely she'll lose her grip and fall victim. **

**Yet so the purple-people-eater changes tactics and forces Jade to change grips too. The beast has failed to shake off the annoyance clinging to its back, so now it decides to tear the burr off. The porphyrois dives low and heads for the highest arch of the skeletal bridge, There is next to nothing of headroom and it's all too plain that Jade is going to be shaved off of the porphyrois' back.**

**« No way. No way. Not the bridge again. Tch already been there. So not gonna be dumped by this sardine. Only Akita gets to make a bowling ball outta me. Try this for a rodeo, fishy. »**

**Jade slides down the curve of the porphyrois' back till she is clinging to the side of the left flank. This is no accident: to be sure it's harder to cling onto the side and she can feel gravity dragging at her, but she's free of the bloody surface that was becoming unholdable. There's more than that too: the purple-people-eater can't scrape Jade loose and make a meal out of her, not from this position. Whatever about that, it's a stand off, as the porphyrois can't back-scratch Jade away but Jade has no hand free to start to fight back.**

**« Yeeees! Try scratching off the Jadester itch from here. I am so gonna tickle you dead. »**

**Jade is crowing much, too much, too soon: the open desert and the mountain flanks are the natural terrain of the purple-people-eater and it knows just how to make the best of them — the worst of them, as far as Jade is concerned. The porphyrois races onwards, powering up to such a high speed that Jade's body chills with goosebumps (at the pace of their flight) and the breath is whipping away from her lips. She grips the flank of the purple-people-eater in a clamping bearhug, careless of the barbs she is driving into herself, and only caring that the rushing air won't tear her loose.**

**« Ouffff. Nice try flipper but you so can't shake the queen of the rollercoasters. Go on. Run. You're gonna be sushi, whatever. Yikes! »**

**Yikes is a threatening mountainside that Jade is about to be grated against. Whatever about not being able to shake Jade under the bridge, the purple-people-eater means to crunch her between it's flank and the mountain's flank. With the speed that they're going, the sheer unexpectedness of it and the porphyrois' knowledge of the most vicious peak-sides: Jade cannot and does not escape from having her back clawed by the rocks. **

**Her grip is finally torn loose and she falls (with blood, flesh and cloth falling from her back) to fall prey to the purple-people-eater. The porphyrois only has to loop around in the air and glomp its jaws around the freefalling girl, to make an end of Jade. Yet so, Jade saves herself again. **

**« Oummmph. What do think I am? Salami! Duh! Wake up already, ladder belly. That so isn't gonna work. Throw me a life preserver, why donncha. »**

**Jade has flung her hands upwards (in a desperate bid to find anything to grip on) and is latching onto the gills that clothe the entire underside of the purple-people-eater. She is dangling below the porphyrois now, like a stunter hanging from the landing gear of a plane, in some crazy action film. **

**It almost seems that she is safe now but the porphyrois has a response to this too. It curls around in the air and weaves over the savannah and the tall, reaching, thorny saplings. The purple-people-eater sweeps low, to bash the dangling Jade against the spikes of the treeforms. Jade plays frantic acrobatic, gymnastics to keep herself safe: curling her body up in leg raises, swinging to the left or right, doing all she can to keep her body away from those deadly, stabbing impacts. It is too much.**

**« Tch. Enough of this boat ride. This is my stop. »**

**Fuelled by frustration, desperation and pure irritation Jade pushes for the impossible. She hangs below the purple-people-eater, with her two hands gripping one of the many gills that stripe its underside. Her whole body is at a dangling risk, as it drapes below the porphyrois like meat hung out for curing. Jade is done with this and is ready to be doing something about this.**

**« Helloooo Mr Sardine. We're taking the elevator down. »**

**Jade lets go of the death grip that she's been using to keep herself safe. She releases her right hand from the duty of holding on. She is still being whipped against the savannah growths (with immense speed and ferocity) but trusts her left hand and arm to keep her safe, for all of the strain of all of her weight on the one limb. With her right hand, Jade draws her blade from the scabbard on her back and thrusts it up into the gills of the purple-people-eater.**

**Jade drives her cutting wakizashi up into the weak spot of the porphyrois with all her might and skill. It bites in deep and the creature ripples and shudders, then begins to descend, to fall, rapidly to earth. The pair of Jade and the porphyrois are over the savannah and at treetop height. Jade isn't at all sure she can survive a drop from this height or the crashing against the trees on her way down. **

**Her strategy, tactics and response seem half insane (driven by rage and frustration) but Jade is crazy like a fox. There's no way she can hang on forever and (for all the hazard) the savannah bush is less a risk to fall into than a clear and high fall onto the sands or the rocks. From this they are dropping like stones: the purple-people-eater has lost all buoyancy since Jade damaged its gill system. The girl still holds onto the falling and dying bulk of the porphyrois, as it is the only thing which slows her descent at all. Then she finds herself caught and wrapped in clawed hands.**

**« Uhhh. Hi Akita. Ummm. Yeh. I tried to obey. I so did. But this bozo crashed the party. Ooookay? »**

**Jade grins widely and in embarrassment, as the shadowkhan puts her down onto the ground and onto her own feet.**

**« This kenjutsu is seeing it all: Jade is rebelling, hurting, suffering, losing. See now: Jade is being the dolt. Itai! See how she's cursing me! No: there's no learning, no understanding, no complying. See you: Jade is caring more about herself than about wisdom. »**

**« Duh. Helloooo. Hey Akita, that Jaws reject jumped me. Duh. I never left the bridge. I'm good. Ooookay. »**

**« No! Jade is disobeying and failing. This kenjutsu says she isn't worth training. »**

**Akita spins around, to put her back to Jade, and stalks away towards the fallen bulk of the purple-people-eater. Jade is entirely rejected, it seems. Jade feels like she's been tasered: her body jolts, her heart misses a beat and a chill runs through her. She cannot even give Akita a quick and smart retort, she is so dizzy from this dismissal. She has nothing to give, or to speak, as her shadowkhan mentor rejects her.**

**Jade can hardly recall a time in her life when she has felt worse. Jade says nothing and her head slumps down, even as her body sags. This is one of the few things in existence that can pierce Jade's resilience: to feel she has let down someone she cares for. She knows that Akita is right and she wants to do anything she can to make it right but there is nothing she can do. Ashamedly, Jade creeps up behind Akita, as the shadowkhan bends over the corpse of the purple-people-eater.**

**Akita whirls around holding the bloody, dripping and barely-still heart of the purple-people-eater.**

**« Tssss Jade is winning! See now: a keen blade needing sharpening. Yes: you're staying with this kenjutsu. Taste the spoils. »**

**Jade can barely keep her feet, at the abrupt shifts of her mentor, but one thing she no longer hesitates over is this deal. Jade seizes the inert butchery of the enemy heart and consumes the raw and bloody offering. Something there is about the meat and heartmeat of Jade's vanquished foes that nourishes her like nothing else. Jade is fast learning the appetites of a true shadowkhan.**

**For all of that learning Jade still does not understand Akita much at all: whatever about how the mere path from Shadowkhan Heartland to Shadowkhan Hinterland has gifted them with much implicit rapport. They carve off enough meat from the purple-people-eater for their immediate needs and not a whit more. Jade already gets that she is a top predator and the duty of harmony is to leave the remains for others less able.**

**Akita was honest about the dangers of purple-people-eaters over the desert and so the pair of mortal and shadowkhan retreat under the bridge to relax and eat. They have the berries and roots that Akita meant to provide and the meat that comes from Jade managing to survive. Yet so, Jade is not safe from the risk of Akita's mouth.**

**« Itai! See how you're cursing me. Yes: I was warning you and you weren't listening. This kenjutsu is wasting all her time; the porphyrois was nearly killing you. No: you shouldn't be alive: the porphyrois fly on a cushion of air from their gills and you were lucking out by stabbing there. See now, Jade is the dolt. Tssss you're disgusting me by your hastening and failing. »**

**« Duh what's with you? You pat me on the head then stab me in the belly! Like Uncle and Uncle are all mixed up in you. I don't get it. »**

**« Itai! The fool girl is cursing and challenging this kenjutsu. See you: it's time Jade was learning and hearing my tale.**

**Beneath the bridge, in the Shadowrealm Hinterland, Akita (the shadowkhan seifu) takes her pupil back to earlier times of history. Jade Chan is the most adventurous and explorative of youngsters but all the innocence of her world is torn into shreds by a warrior that believes that nobody is too young to learn the harshest truths of life.**

_**o0O¥O0o — A.N — o0O¥O0o**_

_**Yeesh so: could not resist the "Wild Geese" line. Being birds of passage is so embedded in the Irish psyche. Tis easy enough to wiki up but more n that you can hardly go anywhere in the Emeraud and not find that motif. Do a Youtube on San Patricio by Black 47 to get a taste. Damn but is that ever teh spirit of us. Da fuq this chap has taken forever to write and I'm purely outta fuel here. (u_u)**_


End file.
